The third bonding had come and gone, just like the second had. The last of the cadets had bonded, a new batch of dragonets had left with or without new life mates, and Riyikith had sat through it all with Evola sitting happily beside him, stroking her fur idly while she purred.

Now, an hour after the ceremony had been concluded, Riya lay on his back on the couch in his apartment, fingers interlaced behind his head and eyes half-shut, focused on the ceiling but not really seeing it. Some techno was playing in the background, but softly, so that all he could really make out was the bass beat and the occasional melody line. That was how he liked it, most nights after a long day: driving, but not overwhelming. Besides, turn it much louder, and neighbors might start complaining. Especially cadet neighbors. Now that there were all seven of them, he'd have to tread carefully; not even Evola could keep all seven of them off him.

Evola herself was sprawled out, dragonicly, on the floor beside him with her eyes shut and her muzzle smiling. She was quite content, after a night of being reminded of everything that she had, her folded wings brushing against Riya's side and her tail flipping idly-- and somehow managing not to smash anything in the process. Evoli curled up against her side, much smaller and darker, looking more like her child than her brother. He had his chin on his paws and his eyes mostly closed, staring across the room without seeing. They were still close, Evola and her brother, but Evola was growing up so quickly, she was leaving the poor boy behind, and he knew it.

Riya glanced down at the younger of the two Air dragons, a little disturbed by how quiet and disconsolate he was. Just like at the second ceremony, Evoli had hung around in the background, with the unbonded kits, as if waiting for something magical to happen to him. But it didn't, again, because Evoli didn't realy try-- he just hoped. Riya had no idea why the idea of bonding had so hooked into the dragon-boy; it wasn't a trait Avengaeans had naturally, like other dragons Riya had heard about, nor was it something offered to most Avengaeans. But it had, and now it was too late: kits were offered three ceremonies to make their choice, and Evoli's third had just passed uneventfully.

::You're worried about something,:: Evola's drowsy voice said in his mind.

::Your brother,:: Riya answered readily enough. No sense lying about it, after all, and she might even be able to think of something to do about it. She was rather clever, when she let herself be. 

::What about him?:: This did not seem to be one of those times she was clever. Or, at least not observant. 

His mind-voice fondly amused, though still thoughtful, he commented, ::You don't notice much, do you? He's just lost his last chance to bond, didn't bond, and now he's depressed.::

::Oh....:: The sleepy languor had disappeared, and Evola lifted her head to gaze down at the orange-yellow dragon beside her. Surprise burst across their link, as if she only just now realized how small he really was, still. Evola had grown so much, and he had hardly grown, at all. ::No, I guess I didn't notice... I didn't even think about it, but you're right, it *is* his third ceremony, isn't it? Do you... think he'll be okay?::

::I hope so,:: Riya sent back. ::He probably will, I just don't like the thought of him moping around until then. He's quiet enough, already, without moping on top of it.:: He freed up one hand from where it'd been buried within his unbound hair, dropping it to stroke her neck. She sighed gustily, and Evoli turned his head to glance at them.

"What?" he asked.

"What, what?" Riya countered.

"You're looking at me funny," Evoli pointed out.

"Am I? Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About me?"

"No point denying it," Riya said with a slight shrug. "You look awful glum, after all."

"Oh." Feigning disinterest, but obviously trying to just avoid talking about it, Evoli put his had back down on his paws. When his trouble was about bonding or bonded pairs, he never spoke to Riyikith about it. It was as if he was afraid to offend his human friend by saying he wanted what Riya had, and he certainly wasn't going to tell his bonded sister. 

Then, as Riya was mulling over ways to distract Evoli and coming up short, something in his bond's mind caught, a glimmer of an idea formed-- an idea that had to do with her brother. Riya kept his mouth shut and his thoughts as quiet as he could make them. If she could come up with something, anything, that might give the boy some cheer, he didn't want to interfere before she could even form up a half-decent plan. Sometimes distraction was the worst thing anyone could do to Evola when she was in the middle of an important idea.

::Avengaea isn't the only place where dragons bond,:: she thought slowly at him-- or just thought strongly, and it echoed across their link. Again, he kept silent, though he agreed; Avengaea had only come up with the idea by seeing other planets doing it. ::Dragons... don't even bond people, all the time,:: she continued. ::There are two dragons living in the mountains who... are bonded to each other.::

::So what are you getting at?:: Riya asked after a moment of mental silence.

::Why doesn't he go somewhere? Pick up a dragon-bond, instead of a human-bond?::

That was quite an idea, and definitely one to consider. Actually, Riya thought it might be a good substitute-- especially since most off-world dragons he'd heard of didn't bond the way Avengaeans did, having to mingle and meet and then take a leap of faith. They bonded immediately at birth, or hatching, actually, and it was a immediate choice, not anything they deliberated about or fussed over, like Evoli was prone to doing. ::I don't know,:: he asked her. ::Why doesn't he?::

There was another moment of silence, and then Evola spoke: "Hey, Evoli. I just had an idea."