"Apparently I could love you too," says Lycaelon. "But - sharing each other's minds, that's optional? Right? You fixed that?"

"...I do not know how the wish will hold, with another mind added to the Bond. I will be safe; my aura will do it - you might have to wait a short while for Lazarus to have another look at us all and make a replacement wish."

"It's not the mind-reading that I can't stand so much as the closeness," he says, "and I can live with that in small doses. And... I want to. I think I want to."

Aianon hugs him.

"If these are small enough doses, then if you continue staring at my beloved now, we might have to become presentable for Lazarus sooner than I would prefer," remarks Isibel.

"You could collect your kiss now and come back later," Aianon suggests.

Mmmm.

"I don't know how small," he says, when there has been enough kiss. "I've never bonded with a dragon before."

"It is like falling," murmurs Isibel.

"Like always knowing the person you love is there, even when they are far away," says Aianon.

He shivers again.

"I was afraid. I'm sure it's different if you aren't afraid."

"Yeah, maybe," he says. "I don't do too well with people being there all the time."

"There are not very many of us," Aianon reminds him, "and we will love you very much. And we can go as far away as you want."

Lycaelon thinks. He leans on Aianon while he does it. Aianon is very comfortable to lean on.

Very comfy. Isibel is still snuggling Ansharil. "I will be a bit at arm's length," she clarifies. "Co-bonded are not always so close. But I already like you very much."

"If I didn't like you both very much, I would be gone already," he laughs.

"Naturally."

"I would need to think about it. And in the meantime I might like to have Aianon back." She pauses, tilts her head. "Pattern has left me a message, recommending time-dilation, so you might not need to wait long."

Aianon unmakes the chair he made for Lycaelon and pounces on his loves.