Oh, is it? We can use it temporarily then, because then I'll feel less bad about writing a very rude song about him once you're done.
I'll bring my finest wine, love.
[And so he does. When he arrives at the shop, with all its lovely plants in the window and his sleeves already rolled up and shirt mostly unbuttoned, there are two bottles of wine in his arms.] Now I'm all yours, my dear. And all ears.
[She takes a bottle of wine and kisses the corner of his mouth in greeting, but it's a quick one. It's clear from her expression, the set of her brows and the tightness at the corners of her mouth, that she's not happy.]
Come on, we'll go in back.
[Where there are comfortable couches and soothing light and snacks to go with the wine.]
I don't know how much longer I can deal with this guy. I must have pissed someone off in some department to get saddled with this...this...asshole!
[She's starting in before she's even through the door to the back room.]
[He can read a room quite well, so while he lays a hand on her arm he doesn't yet return the kiss with a full, passionate display. The faster they get to drinking, he should think, the better she might feel.
Jaskier lightly closes the doors behind them, lighting the bottles on a table he drags a bit closer to the couches. A bit of magic has him summoning two crystal glasses, and a bit more has the cork rising free from the bottles. The finest vintage he can get in the Free Cities without having made it himself.]
Or you have terrible luck. [That might not be helping. He takes a seat, holding a hand out to her to join him.] What's he done, love? Has he said something to you? Commented on your work?
He thinks he's know absolutely everything, and his way is the only way.
[She throws herself down beside him, huffing in frustration. Her skirts flare up and settle with the force of her movements. A good portion of hair escapes her braid. It was already threatening to fall loose, and finally gives up.]
And he hates magic. Really, really hates magic. Goes off on me any time I use it - not even healing spells that I learned from Thorne books, my own natural abilities!
[She could maybe understand being pissy if she was using a bunch of Academic Magic, or relying entirely on it. But she's been given extremely helpful gifts that make her a better healer, it's ridiculous to not use them.]
[He's had similar professors, honestly. His days at Oxenfurt were not always rife with drama, but they mostly were. Jaskier has also never been very good at taking advice he doesn't agree with. He's even worse at keeping his mouth shut.
Jaskier gently pulls the tie of her braid off, helping her hair settle. He pulls it on like a bracelet to pour her a glass of wine, holding it out as an offering until she's ready to take it.]
Unfortunately, he's not the first in Cadens to think so. It's prejudiced thinking, and a waste of your talents. If it's to save a life, who cares from what source it springs from? [He lays a hand on her leg, squeezing gently.] As long as you recognize the strength of your talents, love, you'll always be in the right. And he will be terribly, stupidly, horribly wrong.
No, he's not, but he's the doctor I have to finish my education under.
[Nadine makes no protest when Jaskier frees her hair, and takes the offered glass gratefully.]
He's the one reporting to my department head. He's the guy who determines if I get to be a doctor or not.
[Leaning back, she pulls out a smoke to go with her drink. It's that kind of evening. Something about Manse just gets her so worked up....]
And he's so fucking condescending about it! You're right, it shouldn't matter how I help people, it should matter that I am. It's not like I neglect my practical work, I'm a good surgeon! I spent so many hours cutting up corpses....
[The good old fashioned way, with scalpels and bone saws. She'd spent so many extra hours at the academy, practicing.]
[This is exactly the reason he is not in any institute of Cadens right now. He certainly aids their efforts, both monetarily and otherwise, but beyond that... he is far too old to report to anyone. He has his niche.
He leans back with her, hand drifting back and forth over her thigh in a comforting gesture. Let her get it out.
He huffs a sound. Right, he specifically does not ask her about the cutting up of corpses.] As loathe as I'm sure you are to hear it, you only need pretend you adhere to such beliefs until your tuition is over. Your magic is just as skilled as your... cutting... I am sure of it. All you must do is prove to yourself that you are doing your best. Not to anyone else.
no subject
Alcohol. I'm doing some cleaning in the shop, if you want to swing by. We're closed so we have the place to ourselves.
no subject
I'll bring my finest wine, love.
[And so he does. When he arrives at the shop, with all its lovely plants in the window and his sleeves already rolled up and shirt mostly unbuttoned, there are two bottles of wine in his arms.] Now I'm all yours, my dear. And all ears.
no subject
[She takes a bottle of wine and kisses the corner of his mouth in greeting, but it's a quick one. It's clear from her expression, the set of her brows and the tightness at the corners of her mouth, that she's not happy.]
Come on, we'll go in back.
[Where there are comfortable couches and soothing light and snacks to go with the wine.]
I don't know how much longer I can deal with this guy. I must have pissed someone off in some department to get saddled with this...this...asshole!
[She's starting in before she's even through the door to the back room.]
no subject
Jaskier lightly closes the doors behind them, lighting the bottles on a table he drags a bit closer to the couches. A bit of magic has him summoning two crystal glasses, and a bit more has the cork rising free from the bottles. The finest vintage he can get in the Free Cities without having made it himself.]
Or you have terrible luck. [That might not be helping. He takes a seat, holding a hand out to her to join him.] What's he done, love? Has he said something to you? Commented on your work?
no subject
[She throws herself down beside him, huffing in frustration. Her skirts flare up and settle with the force of her movements. A good portion of hair escapes her braid. It was already threatening to fall loose, and finally gives up.]
And he hates magic. Really, really hates magic. Goes off on me any time I use it - not even healing spells that I learned from Thorne books, my own natural abilities!
[She could maybe understand being pissy if she was using a bunch of Academic Magic, or relying entirely on it. But she's been given extremely helpful gifts that make her a better healer, it's ridiculous to not use them.]
no subject
[He's had similar professors, honestly. His days at Oxenfurt were not always rife with drama, but they mostly were. Jaskier has also never been very good at taking advice he doesn't agree with. He's even worse at keeping his mouth shut.
Jaskier gently pulls the tie of her braid off, helping her hair settle. He pulls it on like a bracelet to pour her a glass of wine, holding it out as an offering until she's ready to take it.]
Unfortunately, he's not the first in Cadens to think so. It's prejudiced thinking, and a waste of your talents. If it's to save a life, who cares from what source it springs from? [He lays a hand on her leg, squeezing gently.] As long as you recognize the strength of your talents, love, you'll always be in the right. And he will be terribly, stupidly, horribly wrong.
no subject
[Nadine makes no protest when Jaskier frees her hair, and takes the offered glass gratefully.]
He's the one reporting to my department head. He's the guy who determines if I get to be a doctor or not.
[Leaning back, she pulls out a smoke to go with her drink. It's that kind of evening. Something about Manse just gets her so worked up....]
And he's so fucking condescending about it! You're right, it shouldn't matter how I help people, it should matter that I am. It's not like I neglect my practical work, I'm a good surgeon! I spent so many hours cutting up corpses....
[The good old fashioned way, with scalpels and bone saws. She'd spent so many extra hours at the academy, practicing.]
no subject
He leans back with her, hand drifting back and forth over her thigh in a comforting gesture. Let her get it out.
He huffs a sound. Right, he specifically does not ask her about the cutting up of corpses.] As loathe as I'm sure you are to hear it, you only need pretend you adhere to such beliefs until your tuition is over. Your magic is just as skilled as your... cutting... I am sure of it. All you must do is prove to yourself that you are doing your best. Not to anyone else.