[Jaskier purses his lips a little at the requested promise. It's not that he doesn't want to make the promise. Even without Dylan emphasizing it to be as important as he is now, Jaskier knows how important it is. Were their positions reversed, Jaskier would probably plead with Dylan to make the same promise. But the trouble is perhaps less with the promise itself and more where they are. If there is one thing that Jaskier's learned in his time here, it's that Hell does eventually take matters into its own hands. Whatever it is you might be trying to avoid or run from, it will find a way to dig it out. There is simply no reason to think this might be an exception.]
[And yet, even knowing that reality, Jaskier doesn't want to crush Dylan's tenuous hope either. Jaskier doesn't know what better choice in this situation is and although he doesn't act upon it, Jaskier feels the impulse to hold onto Dylan tighter as he's weighing it out. But then again, perhaps because of that impulse, he knows what the better choice is after all. A pretty lie may feel better in the moment, but what happens if what Jaskier fears could happen comes to pass? What if this place leaves them in a situation where Dylan loses control without warning and there isn't enough time to put up any sort of barrier between himself and others? The lie won't have meant anything then. If anything, it can only make that worse.]
I'll do everything that I can, Dylan. I promise. As long as I can help it, I won't let you hurt anyone.
[It's not the exact promise that Dylan was necessarily asking him to make, but it's the most honest version of it. If they can figure something else besides running blindly into the woods for the upcoming cycle, then that will be a good first step. They can start to figure something out beyond that for when Hell does inevitably say fuck it to whatever carefully laid plans they have.]
We'll do whatever it takes.
[Including Geralt taking on the grim task of putting Dylan down if that's what ends up being needed. But Dylan already knows that or he wouldn't have called the other night and asked for Jaskier to send him.]
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[And yet, even knowing that reality, Jaskier doesn't want to crush Dylan's tenuous hope either. Jaskier doesn't know what better choice in this situation is and although he doesn't act upon it, Jaskier feels the impulse to hold onto Dylan tighter as he's weighing it out. But then again, perhaps because of that impulse, he knows what the better choice is after all. A pretty lie may feel better in the moment, but what happens if what Jaskier fears could happen comes to pass? What if this place leaves them in a situation where Dylan loses control without warning and there isn't enough time to put up any sort of barrier between himself and others? The lie won't have meant anything then. If anything, it can only make that worse.]
I'll do everything that I can, Dylan. I promise. As long as I can help it, I won't let you hurt anyone.
[It's not the exact promise that Dylan was necessarily asking him to make, but it's the most honest version of it. If they can figure something else besides running blindly into the woods for the upcoming cycle, then that will be a good first step. They can start to figure something out beyond that for when Hell does inevitably say fuck it to whatever carefully laid plans they have.]
We'll do whatever it takes.
[Including Geralt taking on the grim task of putting Dylan down if that's what ends up being needed. But Dylan already knows that or he wouldn't have called the other night and asked for Jaskier to send him.]