Make your sad times a little easier to bear

In Displays, Courtships, and Bondings ・ By Zincwolf

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Ferdinand hadn't known what to do when he returned back to the barracks with his new... friend. In tow.

Fiend, as he'd decided to keep the name, was so big he had to stay in the woods nearby rather then in the place itself. Between him, Star (another new dragon that they had found in the woods), Tulio and Juno, Ferdi had gone from no dragons to drowning in them it felt like. It was crazy. This whole situation was crazy. But the new dragon had managed to give him a little bit of confidence, knowing that should anything happen... he had some ancient behemoth to protect him as well as Nico.

Nico...

He'd told him about Fiend, but they hadn't met until a few days afterwards when he had been drained and tired from his shift with the experimental department of their branch of the Milita base, and it had gone... alright? Not amazing, but not bad, either. She was grateful for that.

His other dragons had accepted Nico easily, they had grown up with him and Tulio, knew how their footsteps outside their tent flap sounded like, what their snores and sleeping patterns felt like when they cuddled close, knew what their likes and dislikes were. Juno in particular adored Nico, thinking of him as another bonded human already without anything more... magical. Happening.

The concept of a second bond was terrifying to Ferdi. Being able to be connected to someone like that on an intimate level was... insane. But also special.

He wasn't sure they could ever get officially married. Not while they were here in this misery... but being able to talk without physically doing so...? That sounded like a good idea. It wasn't an issue he had about letting Nico in, he did that on a regular basis, but...

With a large sigh, he heaved to his feet, and started his walk out to the forest to visit Fiend. Juno and Stardrop at his heels, he came upon the entrance to a sight he'd hoped to see - Nico, and the hulking form of Tulio not far behind him, snuffling at some nearby bushes in hopes of some prey to be inside, but by the look of his disgruntled snort and flare of his crest, Ferdinand assumed that no, there wasn't any in there.

He'd asked them to meet him here. So that they could try again. Fiend really was the only thing standing between them and this bond, and it wasn't like he hadn't given his blessing for any spiteful reason. The reason was simple.

Nico was new, and Fiend had sensed Ferdinand's hesitancy to agree quickly to the proposal. That made him shut down near instantaneously without much explanation to anybody, besides his rider, and Ferdi had only worked out his reasonings because of some long drawn out conversations they'd had about responsibility and truths of the heart.

"Nico" he smiled, moving forwards to take his hand a little nervously and lean into him. Nico, pleasantly surprised, grinned and put his arms around him.

"There you are" the Irrit man grinned, his voice like warm honey to Ferdinand's nerves, settling him as they seeped into his heart. "I was wondering where you had gotten off to. You're late"

Juno chirped a greeting, excited, and scuttled his way over to Tulio, brushing his wings affectionately against Nico's calf as he raced past. Tulio's head raised, looked back, and then made a happy chuffing noise in return. Stooping to scoop the little dragon up in his small arms. Juno squealed in delight, and curled around his neck to sit on his head. Big enough to do so now.

The two boys watched their dragons with affection, before Ferdi thought to check on Stardrop. The blue sparkling dragon was staring off into the trees, her scythe wings sliding together anxiously to make little snipping sounds of metal on metal. She had grown as well, her antlers spreading out bit by bit, and her ears drooping longer down, like they were weighted with their engravings.

She didn't much like Fiend. Nervous of both his size and his power, not much liking the spirited wisps that floated around him at almost all times. They were creepy usually, with his double skull head and his glowing eyes, but in the heavily forested edge of the forest, it was easy to see if he was coming or not. No shadow loomed, and so she had said nothing about it.

"Are you ready?" Nico asked.

Ferdi hesitated, before he nodded.

With a grin, Nico sank closer to him, and whispered in his ear. "My love... it has been a long time since I met you. I couldn't think of spending my life with anybody better, or entrusting the life of my bonded with. Will you form a bond with me, this night?" he asked.

A shiver rose up Ferdinands back. But this time... there was no anxiety, or fear. He was calm. Her felt a small, curious shift in Fiend's presence in his mind, from guarded to curious. Good.

"I do" he answered easily. Watching as the sun dipped low over the horizon, bathing the green grass and meadow flowers at their feet, and the wide trunks of the trees around them with a soft orange glow. The looming curves and severe shadows of the volcano peak rising above the tops of the trees, a flock of red birds and small dragons flying up as something larger moved within them, startling them into flight