#anyway i'll probably edit this more later & upload it to ao3 when i get the chance!! hope y'all enjoy it~

[rhoorl]

Working Title | Chapter 15

Pairing: Dieter Bravo/OFC

Rating: Mature, 18+, for the love of all things please don’t engage if you are a minor ok? 

Word Count: 5k

Series Masterlist | AO3 Chapter 15 Link

Chapter Summary: We spend our last day on set before the long weekend. Dieter has a full day of activities planned for Belle.

Chapter Warnings: This is pretty fluffy. Dieter is a bit of a menace. Squint for some possessive/jealous Dieter.

A/N: So like most things with these two, I have a general idea and outline and then I go off on a tangent. I ended up splitting Dieter's date into two parts because it was getting long (which means I'll hopefully be able to upload Ch. 16 sooner since it's written and being edited). So I hope you enjoy this first part and the cameo I slipped in because I literally cannot help myself. More notes from me at the end!

Thanks to some speedy work from room service, you and Dieter settle into bed with some snacks, ready to watch a movie. True to form, you didn't make it past the first twenty minutes. But how could you? You were tired from a long day of being on your feet, your back ached, and you were in a comfortable bed cuddled up next to Dieter who was basically a human electric blanket. Feeling the rise and fall of his chest as he played with your hair was enough to lull you to sleep.

When your eyes flutter open, you turn and feel an empty spot on the bed. It was pretty cold which means Dieter had been gone for a while. Checking your phone you see it's about 10 minutes until your alarm is set to go off anyway. You stretch and get out of bed, thinking you'd go and surprise your handsome barista, who was probably busy getting your coffee ready.

As you head down the hallway, you don't see any lights on in the kitchen. You do, however, see a light coming from the couch in the living room as you spot Dieter sitting with his back to you on his phone.

"Psst," you whisper over to him.

He turns around and smiles, getting up to come over to you. You still get butterflies seeing this man with no shirt on and a messy mop of curls at the top of his head.

"Hey, shit, sorry I didn't realize what time it was," he kisses you. "I need to get your coffee ready."

You smile as he kisses you again, his arms coming to your waist as he pulls you closer to him.

"It's hard to get good help around here," you tease.

"Is that so? Well, I only aim to please, so I better get to work," he winks as he taps your ass and heads to the kitchen.

"What were you doing up so early?" You follow him and lean against the kitchen island, trying not to salivate as you see the muscles in his back flex as he makes quick work of getting your coffee ready.

"I…um," he stops and turns to look at you, a little bashful. "I was trying to confirm some last-minute things for …um, a surprise. I know it’s your day off, but are you ok if we get an early start tomorrow? I know there's the luau tonight, but I have kind of a full day planned…."

“A full day?” you cut him off, smirking.

“Ah, yeah,” he ran his hand through his hair. “Fuck, that’s a lot, isn’t it? It’s too much, I know…” he starts to shake his head and you walk around the kitchen island and cup his face with your hands, lightly scratching his stubble with your fingernails.

“I am so flattered. You have a full day planned…just for me?” Your coy smile is enough to make Dieter’s shoulders relax. His smile reaches his eyes as he wraps his arms around you.

“Whole day, just for you,” he tilts down smiling and kissing your waiting lips. 

You rush through the rest of your morning routine, which kept getting delayed by Dieter who would pull you into a kiss every now and again. He follows you around like a little lost puppy, perching himself on the tub as you get ready and then sitting on the bed as you pick out your clothes and get dressed.

“Ok, time to get to work,” you smile.

You both slowly make your way down the hallway to Dieter’s suite, knowing you probably won’t have alone time until later tonight. You reluctantly pull away from him, giving him one last kiss before you make your way to the elevator. He’s leaned up against the wall watching you with a soft look in his eyes, like he was trying to commit your face to memory.

The morning goes by rather quickly as you and Brianna work on several principal and background actors. You’re getting ready to head to set with Sam when Dieter walks into the makeup and hair trailer

"Hey," he smiles, bringing you in for a hug and kissing the top of your head. "Hi Brianna," he waves.

“Hi, Dieter.”

“You, ah, have any plans for the long weekend?” he asks her as he rubs your lower back and you lean your head against his chest.

“Oh, um, me?” She looks at you and smiles. “Ah, probably going to go to the beach, maybe do some snorkeling. I think a few of us are gonna go ziplining or something.”

“Nice, sounds fun.”

“A-are you doing anything fun?” She winces as soon as she says it, looking at you apologetically.

“I have a few things planned,” he winks. “I’ll catch you both later, don’t wanna make you late.”

And with that, you head to set, giddy and still feeling his large hand on your back.

You had a pretty easy day on set, only a few scenes which Sam and Indy wrapped up quickly. Everyone was buzzing, excited for the evening’s festivities and the impending long weekend. Indy shot you a text to come meet her at her trailer when you finished cleaning up and packing everything away. When you arrive you give your customary three knocks and she quickly opens the door.

“Hey babe!” She ushers you in.

“Hey! You ready for tonight?”

“Yeah! Should be fun, but I’m more looking forward to the weekend,” she waggles her eyebrows. “Do you have any idea what Sam is up to?”

You shake your head, trying to not say anything although you know can read you like a book.

“B, you are a terrible fucking liar,” she laughs.

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but you’re going to love it and he’s super excited about it. It’s actually so freaking cute,” you smile, knocking your shoulder into hers as you open her refrigerator and grab a water. “Just make sure you pack a bag.”

“Hmm…well, he told me we’re leaving early tomorrow so I’ll pack when we get back. I’ll stay in his room tonight.”

“Oh sure, what a sacrifice,” you tease as she rolls her eyes. “But, sounds like I’m gonna need to get up early tomorrow too.” Your coy smile gives you away as Indy busts out in giggles. 

“Ohhh…early day for you tomorrow too, huh? What’s Dieter’s got planned?”

“I don’t know, he just says it’s a whole day.”

“Eeeek, Belle, he’s got it bad for you, it is so fucking cute,” she shrieks. “Need me to have Ari grab you some condoms,” she winks. “You know … for your festivities.”

“Oh my gosh, Ind,” you roll your eyes. 

Back in your suite, the two of you put some music on and get ready together in Indy’s spacious bathroom. You work on getting her ready first, throwing in some loose beach waves in her hair, and going very natural with her makeup. As she sorts through what she wants to wear and pack for her trip, you put on some light makeup, focusing on your eyes, and then slicking your hair back into a bun.

“I’m not going to tell you what you’re doing, but just pack a few swimsuits, a dress or two, and some stuff for hiking,” you finally cave after an endless litany of questions.

“I need options, B, you know that. I think I’m just gonna pack two bags and we’ll see how it goes.”

You laugh to yourself and head down the hallway to your room and slip on a sundress. You are just finishing up buckling your sandals when you hear a knock at the door and the click-clacking of Indy’s heels. You get to the hallway just as she swings open the door, revealing both Dieter and Sam. 

Sam is dressed in black pants with a tropical-print shirt bursting with greens, blues, and yellows. His hair was slicked back and he trimmed his beard and looked so dashing. But as handsome as Sam was, you sucked in a breath when you saw Dieter in his khaki pants and a power blue short sleeve button-up with the top couple of buttons undone. As you get closer you squint, trying to make out the pattern, but Indy beats you to it.

“Are those fucking cranes on your shirt?” She chuckles.

“Uh, yeah,” he shifts his weight. 

“Well, I like it, you look great,” you walk up, kissing him on the cheek and feeling him relax.

“Thanks, baby,” he whispers in your ear, pulling back to look you up and down. “You look amazing. Both of you.”

“Thanks, Dee,” Indy winks. “You all good to go?”

Dieter takes your hand as the four of you head downstairs to the beach, where the resort staff set up the luau. It was fun to see everyone dressed up and enjoying themselves. Even Rhys and Liz are there, Liz giving you a knowing smile as her gaze drops down to your hand in Dieter’s. Because you were his date, you sit at the head table, clocking a tremendous eye roll from Aubrey as you walk by her table on the way to yours. 

The evening is a bit of a blur, between catching up with everyone, eating the amazing food, and watching the show. Before you knew it, it was over and everyone was starting to disperse. Ari, Danny, and Brianna were trying to get you all to go out to a bar, but Dieter faked a headache to give you two an easy out.

Dieter pulls you into the elevator as soon as it opens and repeatedly taps on the “Door Close” button to ensure you two are alone. As soon as the doors closed, he presses you against the wall cupping your face with one hand as the other wraps around your waist. His lips crash into yours for a hungry kiss. “I’ve been dying to get out of there,” he manages between kisses.

“Mmm, why’s that?” you try to be coy but your mewl gives you away as he nips along your jawline, moving towards that particular spot behind your ear that drives you wild.

“Because, I wanted you all to myself, baby,” he kisses down your neck along your collarbone. “You look so fucking good, you were drivin' me crazy in this dress, ya know that?” He pulls back, cupping your face as his thumb caresses your cheekbone.

Ding.

You arrive at your floor and you both giggle walking back to your room, sneaking kisses along the way. As soon as you walk into your suite, Dieter makes quick work of locking your door and walking you down to your room as he kisses you. “You know, I didn’t have any dessert downstairs,” he smiles against your lips. “Think you could help me with that?”

The next day you wake up to the smell of bacon and the sound of a squeaky wheel. You crack an eye open and see Dieter wheeling in a little cart, a box of cookies tucked in his arm.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” he smiles. “I know it’s early, but we gotta get going. Our ride should be here soon to pick us up, but I tried to give you enough time to eat and get ready.”

He is clearly nervous, which is so cute. He moves to open the large glass sliding doors, so you can hear the crash of the waves.

“Mmm, breakfast in bed? I could get used to this you know?” You manage a smile as you get up and stretch.

Last night you and Dieter had fooled around a bit but kept things relatively tame. You slipped on his shirt again, loving the way it smelled just like him.

When you're sipping the last of your coffee, Dieter turns to you, "Ok, so our ride should be here in like half an hour, is that enough time for you to get ready?"

"Ah, yeah, depends…what am I getting ready for?"

"We're spending most of the day outside, so comfy clothes that you wouldn't mind getting dirty," his eyes rake up and down your body. "But maybe put on a swimsuit, you know in case you get wet."

You don't really even register the innuendo because you are so wrapped up in the thought of having to wear a swimsuit. Despite the fact that Dieter never made you feel uncomfortable about your body, it was hard to undo years of insecurities within just a few days. 

"Oh ah, I didn't bring one. I, uh, I don't know how to swim," you twist your mouth wishing you had more coffee to at least give your hands something to do.

"So you came to Hawaii, a place full of beaches and to a resort with a gigantic pool, and didn't bring a swimsuit? Not even to lounge around?" He cocks his head to the side with a skeptical look.

"I…uh…" You start to fidget and Dieter takes your hand and starts to rub small circles. "I do, I just…"

"Hey, it's just going to be me and you today, I uh, I made sure of it," he smiles. "You don't have to, but one of the places we're going to has a really pretty waterfall and swimming area and I uh…I thought it could be fun." Now it was his turn to be nervous as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry, old habits," you smile. "I'll throw it on. Anything else I should wear or pack?"

The light comes back into his eyes as he grins, "Awesome! And just wear some sneakers, they were very adamant about closed-toed shoes," he rolls his eyes. "But everything else has been taken care of."

You smile at him for a second, trying to not let your emotions get the better of you. You had never had a man plan a whole day for you like this. The most Ryan ever did was surprise you with dinner and a show, but that was early on when you just started dating. 

"C'mon we should get dressed," Dieter pulls you up and out of bed. 

You rummage through your drawers and find your swimsuit, a black one-piece halter-style suit that has a very classic silhouette along with some blue gym shorts and a gray racerback tank top.

"I'm gonna change and I'll be right back," you say as Dieter looks through his little duffle. 

"You can have that bottom drawer you know." You motion to your dresser.

"Yea?" He smirks. "Well, good to know. I may need to bring some more stuff over then," he winks.

You playfully roll your eyes as you head into the bathroom, closing the door so you can get changed. After slipping on your swimsuit and clothes you make quick work of putting on some sunscreen, concealer under your eyes, and mascara. You finish off by throwing your hair in a messy bun before opening the door back up.

Dieter is wearing an outfit you recognize from the photoshoot the other day. A pair of red shorts, which must also double as swim trunks, and a white short-sleeved button-down. Like at the shoot, he left the top couple of buttons undone. He honestly takes your breath away at how effortlessly handsome he looks and you feel like you look so shabby in comparison.

"You look perfect," the corners of his mouth turn up when he sees you.

"You look like a model," you chuckle. 

"Well, I showed Liz what I was originally thinking of wearing and she said absolutely fucking not, so here's the backup," he laughed. "Ready?"

You nod and grab your crossbody as Dieter takes your hand. As you open the door to the hallway, you see a small backpack sitting on the floor.

"Perfect, right on time," Dieter says to himself looking over at you. "Danny. I asked him to drop this off," he smiles as he slings the backpack over his shoulder.

"So where are we headed?" You ask as you both get into the elevator.

"It's a surprise," Dieter winks. "But the day has a theme so you may start to pick up on it as we go."

You squint and pursed your lips trying to glean any hints, but coming up empty. Going with the flow isn't usually your strong suit, that was more of an Indy thing, but you decide to just let things happen today and try to not overthink it. 

As you walk through the lobby to the valet you see a Jeep decked out like one of the jeeps from Jurassic Park. 

"Oh look, how cool!" You nod over towards it with your chin.

Dieter squeezes your hand and with the biggest smile says, "That's our ride!"

"Wait, what? Really?"

And as you approach, a man gets out. He has dark, curly hair sticking out of his baseball cap with "Jurassic Park Adventures" emblazoned on the front. He wore a white polo which had the same logo as his hat on the right side of his chest, and a simple pair of black shorts.

"Mr. Bravo?" The man asks, extending a hand to Dieter.

"Yeah, Dieter, please," Dieter gives a warm smile as he shakes the man's hand. "And this is Belle," he gestures to you.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Frankie. I'll be with you two for a couple of hours this morning," he shakes your hand. "You both ready?" 

Dieter looks over to you and even though you're still kind of confused as to what is going on you nod and Dieter helps you into the Jeep before sliding in after you.

You and Dieter make some small talk with Frankie as you drive. You recognize you’re on the road back to the airport, which is only a few minutes from your resort. Every time you tried to get a little hint as to what was coming, you'd see Frankie and Dieter exchange a glance in the rearview mirror. Clearly, Dieter has prepped the man that you were going to ask questions to figure out what was going on.

When you finally pull off the main road, you see a large building with a few Jurassic Park-themed Jeeps parked out front. And as you round a corner, you see a large open space with a helicopter, decked out with the same theming.

Dieter squeezes your thigh and looks a bit nervous, trying to gauge your reaction.

"Are we going in a helicopter?!" You look between Dieter and out the window to the helicopter. Dieter gives a small nod which makes you squeal. "Oh my gosh, I've always wanted to fly in a helicopter!"

Dieter blushes a bit as you kiss him on the cheek before getting out of the Jeep. 

Frankie gives you both a quick safety briefing and then walks you over to the helicopter. He mentions that you'll be seeing parts of the island that were used for shooting Jurassic Park as well as other films and TV shows.

"Wait, aren't there other people joining us?" You ask Frankie as Dieter trails behind.

Frankie looks behind you to Dieter for some confirmation before turning to you, "This is a private tour, just the two of you," he smiles. 

You turn around to Dieter who has a sheepish grin. Overcome with excitement you throw yourself at Dieter, wrapping your hands around his neck. "Oh my gosh, are you serious?! This is so cool!"

"I had a feeling you may like this," he winks.

"I'm so excited, this is … this is amazing. Thank you, baby," you kiss him and have to remind yourself that you aren't alone so as to not deepen the kiss more.

"I spared no expense," he winks.

I had a feeling she was going to like this, but seeing the way her entire face lit up knowing that we were doing this. The fact that I managed to get her a private tour to see the beautiful island that was the backdrop of her favorite movie. It's one of the best things I've done recently and worth every penny, even if I had to pay this guy an extra thousand because it was just the two of us. She's worth it. Seeing her smile, damn she has the most beautiful smile, it's worth it. And I want to do everything I can to keep her smiling. Because I … I love her. I'm past falling in love with her, I'm firmly rooted and there's no turning back. She has a piece of my heart.

Frankie gets you buckled in and hands over a headset giving you a thumbs up as he moves over to make sure Dieter is secured. 

"Alright, you both ready?" You hear Frankie's deep voice in the headset.

"Ready!" Dieter looks over, giddy with excitement.

"Yeah, let's do this," you reach over to squeeze Dieter's knee.

Frankie gently talks to the helicopter, like he's trying to coax it off the ground. Suddenly you feel a gentle lift off and you take off. Within minutes you can see your resort underneath you along with an amazing sunrise.

"I'll try and angle us as best as we can, but the sunrise is going to be out of your right-hand side," Frankie pops in.

You grab your phone to snap a couple of photos, before flipping the camera so you can take a selfie with Dieter, who leans over and gives you a kiss on the cheek, causing you to giggle.

"Ok so if you look out on the right you'll see the Hanapepe Valley. Some of the most beautiful rainbows on the island. We'll be at our stop here in a few so sit back and relax."

"A stop?"

Dieter laughs at your confusion and gives a coy smile.

Frankie expertly starts to wind the aircraft through some valleys, going further into the island. You don't see any roads, just rich, luscious greenery. He rounds a corner and the sight takes your breath away. You bring your hands to cover your mouth.

"And that right there is Manawaiopuna Falls. It's 400 feet high and is featured in the iconic shot-"

"Of when Hammond brings everyone to the island. Is this…is this where they shot the helicopter landing?" You look excitedly out the windows not catching how Dieter's look softens seeing how excited you are.

"You are a big fan huh?" Frankie chuckles in the headset. "Well, I'll spare you my script about the scene since you know it. But this is a secluded waterfall, only accessible by helicopter. Want me to land this thing and take a look around?"

"What?! Seriously. Oh my gosh, yes!" You grab your phone and film the descent.

"Ok, sit tight." Frankie clicks a bunch of switches and powers down the helicopter. Once he's done he hops out and opens the door on Dieter's side helping to unbuckle him and grab his headset. Dieter follows Frankie around to the other side and waits patiently as the man helps get you unbuckled, although you catch Dieter glancing to make sure Frankie's hands stay where they should, which makes you smirk. Frankie offers you his hand to get out, which you take and flash him a big smile. 

"Alright, so you've got about 20 minutes or so to explore. Try to not go too much beyond those trees," he nods to the jungle to your right. "Technically you're not supposed to swim in the waterfall, but I won't say anything if you don’t. Just do me a favor and don’t take any photos if you do,” he winks. “I’m just gonna hang in here, you guys have fun!” He turns and heads back to the helicopter. 

You are absolutely stunned by this view. The waterfall is loud, but there is something so relaxing about it. The mist coming off of the waterfall hits your skin as you move closer to it, closing your eyes and taking it all in. You feel Dieter behind you as he wraps his arms around your waist. 

He nuzzles into your neck and you can practically hear his smile, “You like it?”

You turn around, misty-eyed as you look at him. “This is…amazing. I, I have no words.” You get up on your tip toes and kiss him.

“Well, this is only the beginning,” he manages between kisses as you work your hands through his hair. A soft moan comes out as you slightly tug on his hair. “Don’t forget that we have company,” he smiles into your kiss and then pulls back. “Though, I’ve never been one to turn down a crowd,” he winks.

You roll your eyes and bring your hands down to rest on his chest. “Did he say we can go swimming?”

“See why I told you to wear a suit?”

“Oh shit, I don’t have a towel.”

“I do,” he turns his head and looks at the backpack on the ground. 

“What else do you have in there,” you move toward the bag before Dieter steps in front of you.

“Ah ah ah, you didn’t say the magic words,” he smiles.

“Oh my gosh, you’re going to throw in movie lines all day aren’t you?” You chuckle.

“C’mon, I couldn’t pass that one up. Here, quick let’s go, we don’t have a lot of time here.”

You don’t have time to think about your insecurities or how you look, you quickly peel off your top and pull down your shorts, hearing Dieter suck in a breath. 

“I really like this,” he moves closer and runs his hand down your side. 

“It’s just a plain black suit, it’s kinda boring.”

“How can it be boring when you look like that? I lo- I love it,” he smiles.

“Do you know how deep this water is?” You grab his hand, looking nervously towards the pool. 

“No idea. You know how to swim?” You shake your head. “Well, guess you gotta hold on to me then,” he winks. “C’mon.”

He grabs your hand and leads you into the water. It’s cool but refreshing. Despite the roaring waterfall down the way, this section is relatively calm. You wade further in and when the water starts to come up to your chest, Dieter pulls you close, “I’m gonna pick you up, ok? Wrap your legs around my waist.”

You are thankful that you are in the water, so Dieter won’t be able to feel how absolutely wet this request makes you. You wrap your arms around his neck as his hands reach down to the back of your thighs pulling your legs up so you can wrap around his waist, crossing your ankles behind his back. 

“I feel kind of like a koala,” you laugh.

“Well, I happen to love koalas,” he chuckles as his hands trail down, kneading your ass as he walks further in before stopping to float.

You close your eyes and rest your head on his shoulder, trying to savor this moment. “I feel like this is a dream,” you finally say, pulling back and looking at him, playing with the back of his hair. “Thank you, this is amazing. You’re really sweet for doing this.”

“You don’t think this is too much?” He bites his bottom lip.

“I love it,” you smile, kissing his forehead and nuzzling your nose against his. 

You both stay like that for a moment, you feel like your breathing has synced up. You shift a little bit, slightly readjusting your legs around Dieter’s waist. “You keep moving around like that baby, and we definitely are gonna give that guy a show,” he smiles. 

“Oh my gosh,” you giggle, going back to resting your head on his shoulder as he floats you both around.

After a few moments, you hear someone clear their throat, remembering that you did in fact have someone else there with you. You both turn your heads to the shore to see Frankie awkwardly standing there. He pulls his hat off and runs his fingers through his hair before returning the cap back, “Hey, uh, we should probably get going soon. Lots more to see,” he gives a tight-lipped smile.

“Okay, we’ll be out in a sec,”

“You sure you’re ok to get out,” you wink at him.

“Ha, very funny,” he chuckles.

He leads you back out of the water and grabs a towel, wrapping you in it before he grabs one for himself. When you’ve gotten as dry as you were going to get, you slip your shorts back on again.

“Ok, you both ready to get back in and see the rest?”

“Absolutely!” you practically skip back to the helicopter and wait for Frankie to help you back in.

As you ascend again, Frankie pops back onto the headset to let you know that you’re going to check out some of the sights along the NaPali Coast. “This is the kind of stuff you can’t see from a car, only in the air.”

You are torn between wanting to savor this experience and filming the entire flight so you can capture the beauty and watch it again. Ultimately you wanted to be in the moment. The majestic mountains, the cliffs dropping off into a water so blue, you didn’t know how to describe this sight. 

“Oh my goodness, this is absolutely beautiful.” You say into the headset.

“It definitely is,” you hear Dieter say, not realizing he was looking directly at you when he said it.

Frankie weaves the helicopter further into the island and you see ancient caves while he tells you some of the history of the island. You make it over to Bali Hai and Lumahai Beach, where he tells you they shot scenes from South Pacific. The hour tour feels like it’s over within minutes and before you know it, you’re descending back down.

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

A/N: I cannot help myself, they were in a freaking helicopter. Although it’s called Jurassic Park Adventures, this is totally a nod to @sin-djarin’s Catfish Aviation business card post. Also, this helicopter tour is a legitimate one. I haven’t personally been on it, but I want to since Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies of all time.

I appreciate you making it this far and I hope you like what's in store for Chapter 16 ... we finally get that slow burn payoff (at least I hope you think so!). Thank you for reading. I appreciate all of the kind comments, reblogs, and likes. My inbox is open if you want to say hi!

Tag list: @musings-of-a-rose / @legendary-pink-dot / @bitchwitch1981 / @mysterious-moonstruck-musings / @gracie7209 / @amneris21 / @pastelnap / @maryfanson / @sunnywithachanceofjavi / @sin-djarin / @winchestergypsy90 / @for-a-longlongtime /@harriedandharassed / @titlee78 / @midnightraain / @poodlebae / @partyofone3413 / @guelyury / @weho2kcmo / @missladym1981

#dieter bravo x reader #dieter bravo fanfic #dieter bravo #dieter bravo fic #working title fic

[riviae]

what if geralt catches regis looking in the mirror, tells him to close his eyes, and starts softly touching different parts of his face and describing them to him. or he has someone paint a portrait for him to look at instead ;_; im sorry your post made me sappy

It became an odd habit of sorts–checking his nonexistent reflection in the mirror–Regis realizes as he brushes off specks of dust from his jerkin. The standing-length mirror situated in the corner of his crypt had been a bit of an inside joke at first–he was already a vampire living in a cemetery, after all; what was stopping him from indulging in a few more lighthearted jokes? He already felt a secret pleasure at the garlands of garlic and collection of silver utensils he kept in his makeshift abode, so it was only in due time that he picked up an antique mirror from one of the stalls in the Beauclair marketplace, careful to keep the glass wrapped in a heavy, dark green fabric until it safely passed the threshold of his home. 

And so the mirror remained, half-hidden in a dusty corner of the mausoleum, a few stray candles on a nearby table offering only a meager flicker of light. Not that Regis needed the candles either, but candles were a very human invention and one the vampire knew made humans feel just a little bit safer. Even if his only human visitor nowadays was Geralt, a witcher who could see perfectly fine in the dark, he had grown accustomed to the warm orange glow, the way the tiny beacons of light reminded him of his time spent amongst humans, learning and growing into the person he was today. 

Just as Regis moves to adjust the cuffs of his shirt, he hears it: a familiarly slow heartbeat and with it, the faintest whiff of blood. Not Geralt’s, thankfully, but as the witcher grew closer, Regis could tell that he had recently bathed and cleaned his armor–it was his swords that carried the scent of old blood–both monster and human–a scent that could never be washed out completely. The swords had spilled so much blood despite Geralt’s best attempts at pacifism. He was a kind-hearted man by nature, but he knew when his only option was to kill. 

“Hey,” the witcher greets, an easy grin upon his face. He meets his own gaze in the mirror before his eyes dart to the vampire. “Hmm… thought you hated mirrors.” 

Regis turns away from the mirror, giving the witcher a fond look. “I hate that I have to avoid them. It’s the same with dogs, sorcerers, and telepaths–I have no hatred for them, I just dislike that I must go out of my way to avoid them.” 

“I remember us having this conversation before. Think that was the first time I saw you really smile.” 

“Is that so?” Regis begins, “Your memory is impeccable as always.” 

“Only for certain things. Certain people,” Geralt replies, giving a tired shrug of his shoulders. 

The admission, no matter how casual, sends a pleasant thrum of warmth through the vampire. For a man allegedly devoid of emotions, Geralt had quite a way of expressing them. Regis didn’t bother hiding his teeth as he smiled, lips pulling into a wide, happy grin. 

“Careful with those fangs. Someone’s bound to notice,” Geralt teases.

“The only prying eyes here are the dead so I don’t think I have much to worry about.” With a lighthearted roll of his eyes, Regis turns back to the mirror, fiddling with his cuffs yet again. 

Geralt’s voice suddenly sounds distant–but perhaps that isn’t the right word. Regis knows what grief sounds likes, the hollowness of it, the way it echoes in the emptiness of what was lost; the witcher’s voice sounds bereaved, but there’s an underlying fondness to it. It’s reminiscent; hopeful, even. “Remember when we first got to Beauclair? How everyone crowded into your room to get ready for the banquet?” 

Regis huffs out a laugh. “How could I forget? Angouleme came in brandishing a pair of garden shears and asked me to cut her hair.” 

“You even humored everyone with your floating scissors routine.” 

Regis grew silent, unable to stop the flurry of memories that Geralt’s words had conjured up. 

There was Milva begrudgingly slinking into the chair in front of the mirror to let Regis trim her bangs, expression softening as the rhythmic motions of having her hair cut lulled her into a light doze. When she stirred, she gave Regis a serious look and thanked him for his services. Whether she knew that the vampire had noticed her slipping out into the stables near the palace to cry at night, had noticed the tired bags under her eyes, and had helped her fall asleep peacefully for the first time in weeks, Regis wasn’t sure, but he did know that it wasn’t long until Milva began saving him a seat beside her during breakfast. 

There was Cahir, usually silent and pensive, who suddenly showed a polite interest in all things related to Regis’ culture as a higher vampire. It was a unique parallel that they shared, both being sojourners in lands they did not belong to. Beauclair was as close to home as Cahir had been since Ciri–and then Geralt–had spared his life despite his connections to the Nilfgaardian Empire. Perhaps he had simply been feeling homesick as he sat in front of Regis’ mirror, invisible hands carefully trimming the are of his head where an axe nearly severed his scalp from his skull. 

Even Dandelion had stopped by his room at some point, waxing poetic about the Duchess while Regis ran a brush through the musician’s long, blond curls. Their conversation drifted easily from topic to topic, spanning the arts and politics until undoubtedly returning to news about their company. Dandelion had always shown a near selfless interest in Geralt’s safety, that much was obvious to Regis, and only solidified that, despite appearances, the man was a genuinely good friend to have. 

Then, his mind drifted to Angouleme. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of Stygga–he preferred to think of happier times, of happier memories, of the lopsided grins and loud laughter that she brought every day to the breakfast table while they wintered in Beauclair. And, of course, her endearing antics, which only increased in creativity when she realized that Regis had no reflection. 

When he finally spoke aloud, his lips twist into a wistful smile. “Ah, that was quite funny, wasn’t it? That was the first time anyone–human, vampire, or otherwise–saw my lack of reflection as interesting, as something to be explored and, dare I say, something endearing about me. I enjoyed having dear Angouleme on my shoulders… even if she did kick me a few times by mistake during her theatrical performance.” Regis pauses, his hands reaching on reflex for the leather strap of his satchel that wasn’t there. Instead, his hands found purchase in the fabric of his jerkin, fingernails scraping harmlessly against the surface. “You know, I would do it all again. Even knowing what I do now, knowing how this all eventually ends, I wouldn’t trade my time with our little rag-tag group for the world.” 

“Neither would I,” Geralt affirms, reaching over to squeeze Regis’ shoulder. The vampire was acutely aware of how his touch lingered there, the warmth and weight that radiated from the man’s simple comforting gesture. 

The reflection in the mirror shows only the witcher, one hand stretched out into the dark, grasp loose and empty. 

“It’s a bit strange, isn’t it?” Regis says. “It’s like I’m not even here. Without a reflection, it almost looks as if you’re talking to a ghost. It was difficult after Stygga to piece my body back together. Even with Dettlaff’s help… I was, well, I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but I was convinced for some time that I was truly dead. There was nothing left of me aside from my consciousness. And once I did grow strong enough to begin the arduous process of becoming flesh and blood again, I had no real memory of myself to work with. I could only build back my appearance based on how I’ve heard other people describe me, of how Dettlaff described me when I was naught but a bloody smear in a dish.” 

“Well, I think you did a good job,” Geralt replies, watching his own reflection as he–almost as if driven by instinct, some vestigial trait from the few vampire genes that were added to his mutated genome–reached up to gently cup the right side of Regis’ face. He knew exactly where Regis was, knew him well enough to reach out while his gaze remained fixed on the mirror, as if he was actually there beside him in the glass. It was only when he spoke again that he met Regis’ eyes, voice barely above a rumble. “You look a bit older, a bit more world-weary, but I recognized you immediately.” 

Regis immediately leaned into the touch. Here, in the privacy of the crypt, he allowed himself a brief respite. He had spent so long trying to hide parts of himself, to hide the parts of himself that had realized long ago that he had fallen for the witcher. But now, after all the weighty events they had lived through, Regis was tired–and this, the warm hand on his face, the feeling of a sword-callused thumb rubbing absentmindedly at the high point of his cheekbone… it threatened to undo him entirely. He knew Geralt would never so much as point his sword at him now, unable to even think about harming him despite his relative immortality–and yet, the steady, consistent thrum of affection he felt for the witcher? It sometimes felt like it was cutting him to pieces, reshaping him into something that would rather turn into a pillar of ash than never see Geralt again–but it also felt a lot like love. Adoration. A warmth in his chest at the sight of the white-haired witcher, gold eyes lidded in contentment whenever his gaze wandered over to Regis. 

“It’s really a shame you can’t see yourself,” Geralt says, hand drifting into Regis’ hair, gently combing a few dark grey locks behind his ear. “But I can help… if you’d let me.” 

Regis inhaled sharply, unable to do anything but give a shaky nod of his head, mind spinning. He feared what he might say, what tightly-held secrets he’d divulge for Geralt alone, his thoughts centering upon a simple mantra: I’m not alone in these feelings–I can’t be…

Geralt’s thumb traces the edge of the vampire’s brow almost reverently and Regis can’t help but shiver at the touch. “You’ve got dark, thick eyebrows mixed with a bit of grey and silver. It suits you. You didn’t always have as much grey in your hair as you do now… but I like it. Feels right, somehow.” 

The witcher’s hand drifts to the corner of the vampire’s left eye, index finger curled underneath a few black lashes of his bottom eyelid. “Your eyes are dark–almost as black as your eyelashes. It isn’t easy to see the separation between your iris and pupil. It makes it difficult to tell what’s going on in that head of yours sometimes, but I like that. Sometimes it’s too easy to read people. Ah, and you’ve always had a very obvious set of crow’s feet in the corner of your eyes. It just means you’ve smiled plenty. That you’ve been happy, and that even subconsciously, you were aware of the happiness you felt, that you let it show on your face after regenerating.” 

He continued, stepping away for only a moment, as if he were trying to put Regis’ entire visage to memory. As if this would be the only time he would get to see him like this again: unguarded, open, hopeful, a vulnerable side that clashed so obviously with his near immortality as a higher vampire. Geralt smiled, drawing closer yet again. “Hmm… your features all together make you look aristocratic. Like I’d see a painting of you in a castle. You’ve got an impressively crooked nose and a sharp jaw. Your cheekbones are high too and you’ve got a few wrinkles on your forehead that make you look distinguished. You’re stunning–you’ve always been stunning. ”

“Geralt…” Regis breathes, tone bordering desperation. “Please…” 

Wordlessly, Geralt closed the gap between them with a kiss, hands cupping Regis’ face. The vampire encircled his arms around Geralt’s shoulders, closing his eyes as he felt the tension in his body disappear. There was only the touch of Geralt’s lips against his own, the warmth of his hands against his cheeks, and the heart-tugging realization that he was truly home. It didn’t matter where he was, so long as Geralt was with him. Because Geralt knew him, knew all of him–the dark, the ugly, the cowardly, the parts of himself that kept him teetering on the edge of relapse–and still loved him. 

It had always been Geralt who saw him–the one person he trusted to be his mirror, to help him see the parts of himself that were worth loving. And it had made all the difference. 

#geralt of rivia #emiel regis #geralt x regis #so sorry this took so long ;v; idk how but the drabble got away from me #love the idea of geralt being regis' own moral mirror so to speak #as well as just pointing out all the physical features he loves #anyway i'll probably edit this more later & upload it to ao3 when i get the chance!! hope y'all enjoy it~ #[frantically cleans out drafts]