The Soul Bond Meme

[disassembling]

"I can't live without you...literally."

Wake up. Do what you have to. Work. School. Save the world. Avenge your father's death. Go back to sleep. Average day, for human, demon, sailor scout, angel, slayer, what have you. Though there's some part of you that wonders, in the back of your mind, if this is the day you'll meet your bond.

Because your world is just like ours - or how yours was, in another universe - but with one addition: the soul bond. The soul bond is a concept as old as time itself. People don't question the process, it just is. Some say that it comes from the beginning of time, where each soul was created in a pair, and throughout the lifetimes those souls are reborn into, they search for each other. This is the soul bond. Even if that's mostly faded into myth, it's generally excepted that there is only only one person for anyone. So, soulmates.

Not exactly. Soul bonds are more. They are about the joining of bodies: sexually and psychically. The bond isn't necessarily about love, though the close connection facilitates that emotion growing, and some fondness does appear in almost every case. It's bigger than love, bigger than hate, bigger than anything else; it's finding yourself in someone else, and your never wanting to lose that. Needless to say, the soul bond is the cornerstone of life and society. Marriage is reserved for the bonded, and you're expected to be searching for that other half. There's a good biological reason for that, too, as the unbonded cannot reproduce and those who have not found their bond are doomed to die extremely early in comparison to their peers and in a most painful, withering fashion. Who would want that?

In this world, sex is had with those who are not the other half of your bond, even if society considers that frivolous. For the truth is, sex with any other will never be as good as sex with your other half. When you make love to someone who isn't yours, you'll know it. It's a disappointment.

When you so much as see your bond for the first time, or at least for the first time after you've reached sexual maturity, you'll know, even if you're already "with" someone else. The signs are inescapable. You'll know it's them. You'll become hyper-focused on them, your heart will race, your muscles tighten, your brain shoot off every signal it nose...and you will become aroused beyond belief. Any arousal you've had prior pales in comparison. So go ahead, if you don't want a bond, ignore it. Try. It won't work. The more you ignore it, the more control you'll lose. Did I forget to mention? In this world, sexual drives are a little more animalistic than usual. They would have to be when the mainstay of the races is a sexual-based bond. Those who try to ward off the desire to become one with their other half can achieve mild success - until they absolutely lose themselves. It's not uncommon to see bonds going at it in the streets, unabashed and unashamed, for trying to hold off the inevitable. Sex between bonds in public, generally, is not looked down upon.

You've given in. Of course you did. But what now? The first time you have sex with your bond, it will be beyond compare. You will share memories with each other, as this is the opening of your psychic connection with them. Yes, psychic connection. How would you expect to be truly bonded otherwise? How strong this link is depends on how often you have sex. Even at baseline, though, you'll know if your bond is hurt or in trouble. Fair warning: this will pull at that animal brain, and you will go into a beserker mode to get them back with you. Similarly, you will behave in a territorial manner if you feel the bond is threatened; jealousy often results in shameless public sex, in hopes to re-establish the strength of your connection and make your bond realize that YOU'RE the other part of them, no one else. In addition, bonds don't handle separation well and each partner will be antsy and on edge. It can be done, and most pairs do because of work, duties, and life in general, but returns are usually accompanied by sometimes days-long sex sessions.

Aside from those quirks, the bonding process can be quite useful. A bond can calm you down, and sex with your bond can serve as the ultimate relaxer. Your bond is the one who can heal you, and sex boosts your strength and power. Yes, those of you looking to achieve your ultimate goal...or ultimate form. Being a bond makes you stronger. Don't resist, no matter how surly you are.

The bond is no respecter of person. Outside of sexuality such as straight or gay, types or species don't matter. You could be bonded with someone as different from you as night and day. However, no matter what the case, you'll begin to care for them in some fashion. You'll feel the need to be with each other as much as possible, both sexually and otherwise. They'll become the most important person in the world to you. Of course, this is assuming your bond is someone you can feasibly be with. Perhaps there is some truth to that reincarnation business, as sometimes, those souls are reborn into people who are never meant to be bonds - warring tribes, at-odds species, and even relatives or people with a great amount of age between them.

The bond is permanent. This is the person you were meant to be with, after all, until you die (and soul bonds usually die within years of each other). Theoretically, though, it can be broken. Mostly, this is done when one side betrays the other side somehow. As the bond is initiated through sex, it's broken in the same way. What happens next is rarely pretty. Police reports usually find the bodies of the dead bonded, cause of death specifically unknown.

Head spinning yet? It shouldn't be! This is the world you live in.

rules
- Comment with your character, preferences, what you're interested in, and what you're not interested in.
- Crosscanon tagging is expected and encouraged. Mention if you want to make some kind of canon-insertion AU with one of the characters or just have a nebulous AU.


prompts

Meeting - You see your bond in that way for the first time, and it's done. You're done. You have to have them to be complete.

Trying to Fight It - No, you're the type who rebels against this whole "soul bond" system. You're the master of your own design, and you won't give in despite the fact that you could just start masturbating right now.

Failure to Fight - The whole fighting thing didn't work out, and now you're going at each other like you'll die of thirst.

First Time - The legendary first time with soaring sensations, amazing orgasms, and the sharing of memories.

Not the Sharing Type - You're a private person and don't want your brain in someone else's. How can you reconcile this? Maybe doing the act can change your mind. Or maybe you just want relief so badly, you don't care.

Feedback - You feel all of your partners pleasure as well as their pain. If you can't come up with something kinky, I can't help you.

Dirty Thoughts - You know what's naughty? Sending mental images of what you'd like to do to your bond through your connection. It's like mental sexting - or a fun way to torture them.

Learning About Each Other - You're learning what both of you like and don't like and sharing as you go.

Jealousy - Someone tried to approach your bond and it made you a bit miffed. Now it's time for some affirmation of the connection and to make sure that you're still on their mind.

Rough Bond - Your bond is more hate than love sometimes, but it's a thin line. Besides, you still care more about them than anyone else, and god forbid someone hurt them. Besides, rough sex is fun.

Separation - You'll be apart for a while. You need one last hurrah

Reunion - You're back together. Now to make up for lost time. Not just because you want to, either.

Public - Remember how I said sex in public is accepted for bonds. Why not take advantage?

Chasing That High - You keep having sex with people, trying to find you bond.

Chasing That Low - In contrast to the above, you're trying to keep away from a bond by desensitizing yourself to sex.

Bond Party - Some young people throw "mixers" where, hopefully, you may meet your bond. Experimentation is bound to happen...even experimentation with multiple people at the same time, trying to find that one.

Can Never Be - Your bond is with someone you shouldn't have one with. They're your sworn enemy, your teacher, or your sibling. Your body and soul says yes, but your mind says no.

Strengthen - You need energy to defeat the big bad or rule the world. Go to your bond and recharge.

Comfort - A bond is often the only one who can calm their other half down, and that sometimes happens through a grounding via sex, bringing the upset party back to what really matters.

Healing - Healing wounds and healing the connection all comes down to body pressed against body. Just be careful of blood.

Long Time Bond - You've been together for some time now and you know each other like the back of your hands. You can make them come in ten seconds flat if need be, but it's more fun to drag things out, isn't it?

Ritual - You want to make your bond official in the eyes of the government. Unsurprisingly, the marriage ceremony is ritualistic sex.

Impregnation - There's no fertilization between the eggs and sperm of non-bonds, so one surefire way to make sure everything's on the up and up is to get pregnant.
Mind Games - Being psychically connected is all good until they fuck with your head.

Dependency - It's not always easy, being for, all intents and purposes, addicted to a person. You need them like you need breathing, and you'll take what you can even if you're ashamed.

Already with Someone - You love someone, but they're not your bond. Can they keep you when you meet your real bond?

I'm Not Yours, You're Not Mine - You know you're not bonds. Still you want them to stay with you and you'll do anything and try to be better.

False Bond - You thought you were bonded, you really did, until you met them

Faking It - There are benefits to faking a bond, including for safety, financial gain, and to secure alliances. Of course, you can't fake it in the bedroom.

Manipulating - You'll get what you want, even if you have to lie and pretend you're bonded to them...how you can fake that, no one knows, but it's worth a shot.

It's Not Me, It's You - Sometimes, mistakes are made. They're your bond, but you're not theirs.

Break the Bond - Because you have a death wish or a snuff kink.

My Ex-Lover is Dead - Your soul bond is gone and you're trying to fill the gap.

OR MAKE UP YOUR OWN


Now made with 10x more awful because Brock Rumlow is involved in it. I regret nothing and neither should any of you.

Comments

[cloneororiginal]

If Sarah could plant her palm against her face in a professional and non-stupid looking manner, she would have done so. She thought the man was smart. he was cunning, he was ruthless (and while those were turn ons for her, she had to get a hold of herself), but he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. Instead, she groaned and rolled her eyes. He had no idea what it meant to be bonded, did he? Especially with being bonded in a HYDRA environment.

"Do you like being poked and prodded at? That'll happen if our superiors find out we're bonds and want us to complete it. I'm already a bloody lab rat, I don't need t'be classified as another experiment." The brunette waited for it the information to sink into his skull, all the while resisting the urge to bridge the distance between them. One hand curled into a fist, letting her nails sink in to let the slight pain help her stay focused.

"If they make us fulfill the bond, if you get hurt so do I. If one of us dies, so does the other. If you can't tell, clones aren't exactly healthy." No, one of the flaws within the clone project was the short lifespan of a clone. None of them ever made it to 30 without dying of respiratory failure. Thus far, Sarah was healthy. One of the healthiest around, but she knew what her odds were.

"So just, forget this entire...exchange happened. Clear?"

[hashisreasons]

"Yea, well who said that you were beautiful?" He smirked at Brock, teasing him to try to take the edge off. He didn't want to talk about his old team, even if Rumlow hit the nail right on the head. He'd felt good with Coulson and the others. It was something he never thought he'd feel before or again. It just felt different being part of a team.

A team that was gone now. His eyes closed and he breathed in deeply, Brock's scent invading his senses. He could feel the man in front of him, imposing even at his average height. "Private..." He sighed softly. The idea appealed to him much more than it should. "I think I can be discreet. Can you?"

He leaned in closer, his lips barely inches from Ward's. "You got to rub elbows with Captain America, hmm? Bet that wasn't the only thing you wanted to rub." Slowly, Ward pulled away from Brock, urging the man to follow him. Leaning down, he picked up his gun, holstering it under his trousers on an ankle support. "Let's take a walk, hmm?"

[whatsfondue]

The first thing that hit him in the room was not the dead body swinging from the rafters. No, it was a scent, wafting right underneath his nose from corner of the room, one that he'd not smelled in years now. It was also one he would never forget and missed so much of. He froze in place, wondering how this was possible. Bucky was long dead, his body never recovered from where he fell. (He would never forgive himself that, for not catching Bucky's hand before he fell, for not being able to give his bonded an honourable burial.)

Steve quickly shook himself back to the task at hand; this was no time to be pondering impossibilities and whatifs. He had a mission to carry and and he was going to do it. A quick check of the swinging body told him that it was too late for his original mission, the man was already dead. It might not be a complete loss if he could still at least catch up to who did this though so he charged towards the next room, shield up and ready, only to stop at the sight that was waiting for him there.

"Rumlow..? What the..?" Steve froze in shock as he finally found the source the scent and knew immediately who it was even dressed and masked.

[infligere]

"Certainly not you and definitely not me," he replied with a smirk. His skills didn't lay with his appearance, though it had at one time been important to him. Now, he didn't really give a crap about it save his hair which was still somehow attached despite all he had gone through. He had a feeling that if that old team would take Ward back, the gut would go. Too bad that option wasn't available for anyone.

They shouldn't be this close, and yet here they were. He could scent the other and he could feel the warmth that radiated off of Ward's body too. It made him want to take a risk when he was in no position to, but he was thankfully enough of a survivalist to know when to keep himself in check. "I know I can be discreet."

He snort at the barb. "I wanted to rub the dirty end of my gun on his lips before I made him eat a bullet," he hissed. He turned the side and let Ward pass him back, giving the other man's backside a pinch that would have been blocked from sight of any cameras in the place. "I need to stretch my legs," he agreed and padded out of the weapon's shed and headed off where they would have some privacy in the forest trees nearby.

[infligere]

"Depends how you presented it really. I mean, if you reminded Steve of my skills and how much of an asset they are, he might eventually agree after he punched holes in some bags," he replied with a smirk. He could be very useful in the hunt for the Soldier, though he didn't mention that specifically. It was a bit too obvious.

He shrugged, figuring he would be better off with meetings every once in a while to stave off the usual restlessness and inability to concentrate. It was also going to tie him in one place, and he wasn't certain that he wanted to do that. "As long as I have enough concentration to keep myself alive and out of the hands of those who'd like to see me dead, I'm fine with this arrangement."

It definitely wasn't going to be long term. "You know this will be worse if we ever cement the bond, right? How long do you think we can avoid that?" Him, as long as freaking possible.

[imadebreakfast]

"I know it, but let's worry about one thing at a time, because between you and me? I can avoid things for a long while." Of course, the longer they avoided it the harder it would be to avoid it, but she wasn't going to think about that too hard just yet, not while there was still a chance of living in denial.

A nod followed, "And yeah, presentation'd be the important thing. Just not at this stage of the game." Which was probably revealing too much, but she couldn't quite care right then, mostly for the sole fact that it was nice to have someone who wasn't directly involved with Steve's quest to talk to, as strange as that was considering just who that someone was. Suffice to say the hunt wasn't going well, which was why the more frequent visits to the Tower were going to be a thing, Stark had resources and Steve at least had enough sense to know that planning one excursion at a time was better than stringing three or four together.

She rolled her shoulders then, stretching, letting her spine decompress a little, which was something she hadn't really been able to do for at least a week. She had a feeling it would last a while, probably not a long while, but long enough. She eyed him a moment before she asked: "You have a phone?"

[infligere]

"Yeah, no offense, but I'm not looking to cement it," he said simply. He liked to have a life that was not full of the complication of having to be close to someone else, have to constantly think about them and all that nonsense. He worked better alone in the circumstances that he found himself in.

He could be useful in that hunt, but he wasn't about to actually suggest they bring him in for it. That would be a complete betrayal to HYDRA, and he liked to keep all of his options open. He could only imagine all the crap that Rogers was going through, and that was enough to assure him that he wanted as little part in it as he could. He liked to watch ol' Cap squirm after all.

After she had rolled her shoulders, he gestured for her to follow and began to make his way out of the alleyway that they stood in. "I do, but I don't keep it long. SHIELD and HYDRA have vocal recognition technology," he said as a way of explanation. "I keep clear of cameras for the facial recognition tech they have," he added as he walked down the street, changing his usual arrogant swagger to that of a shuffling tired blue-collar worker leading a woman to his home. "It will be safer at my place."

[imadebreakfast]

"None taken, you're really not my type." She replied, finishing off her apple and turning to toss it overhand into the nearest dumpster as she fell into step beside him, "Smart." She added, a reply both to not keeping a phone and keeping away from the cameras. She refrained from asking which of them his place would be safer for, though the snipe was right there on the tip of her tongue all the same. She knew she'd be safe enough all things considered, because actually bonded or not he wouldn't want her dead. At least in theory.

If that theory was disproved, she wasn't harmless, helpless, or unarmed, but that was the sort of thing she'd only worry about if she actually had to.

She was actually a little impressed by the easy shift in his gait, there weren't many people who could pull off a change in physicality like that, at least not as easily as he'd done. She kept pace beside him, only just within arm's reach, close enough so as not to come off as a total stranger to anyone who might be paying attention, but not close enough to put herself at risk, either.

[infligere]

He wasn't surprised that he wasn't her type, and he took no offense to that either. It was better that way as there would be no real pressing need to get into bed together and figure things out from there. He wasn't allowed to defend his place in a very obvious way or it would attract attention and all his efforts went to not doing so. He was very, very good at if after years hidden inside of SHIELD.

He took her back to his small one bedroom apartment that he was renting, cash only, and it was clean and well-ordered. He had two couches in the living room, a small television, a radio, but no obvious phone. He move to the kitchen with a knowing ease and began to put away the groceries.

"You want something to drink or something?" He supposed he had to at least be cordial to a guest who was going to have to stick around him more than he would have liked.

[imadebreakfast]

It was second nature, even a reflex to check her lines of sight and potential exits, something she did without even really thinking about it anymore. She shook her head at the question, "No, I'm good. But thanks." She replied as she went to sit on the end of the nearest couch as it had the most open space around it should she need to make a dive for freedom, though even despite that she was still at ease.

"You know," She said, tone utterly conversational, "As far as lairs go, this one really isn't that bad. You could definitely do worse." And the tidiness was a point in his favor, as much as she hated to admit to anything of the sort, even to herself. Though she did suspect that mostly it was so that he could pack up and leave in a hurry if he had to, and she didn't blame him for that in the slightest.

[infligere]

He didn't need to see her to know that she was still in the apartment that he had. Even if she decided to make a jump out the window, they had been close enough and associated long enough where he would be good to avoid having contact for a little while and for that he was thankful. He put away his groceries and folded up the paper bag. No point wasting those. They were dead useful for certain things.

He padded out of the kitchen and regarded her sitting on the couch with a clear line to getting out quickly. "I've done much worse, so this place isn't half bad. It will suit me a little longer." He certainly wasn't going to stay here long term, couldn't risk it. He moved to the couch and sat on the opposite side to her. "Your welcome to stay for however long as you want. I don't murder guests in their sleep, just so you know."

[hashisreasons]

Ward followed along dutifully like a good puppy dog. He bit his bottom lip, trying not to think about what he was doing as he watched Rumlow in front of him. The man had a backside that he couldn't stop staring at. The way that his hips swayed with each step, the curve of his ass as it met his thighs. He swallowed, working hard to keep himself in check. He was pretty sure he was failing.

Once they were outside, among the trees where they could hide, he rounded on Brock and pinned him to a tree. It was easier when there were no cameras on them. He didn't want to admit that he liked the pinch to his ass. He liked the feel of Brock's hands on him, even in the smallest instance.

"Well, this is discreet. I'll give you that," he growled. "So, talk. Just what do you want to do? And you want to do it without HYDRA? Are you fucking mad? They took me back when they really shouldn't have. I failed. I do this and we get caught and I have nowhere else to go!" One hand moved down to Brock's hip, keeping the man close, feeling the line of their bodies trapped together.

"Just what is your plan?"

[infligere]

They might have been prisoners until HYDRA could decide what to do with them, but he had still gone about this little attempt at appearing like a farm and knew a few places for privacy. He slipped among the trees, sensing Ward close behind him and if anyone asked, he'd just say he'd convinced the guy to blow him or something. A man had needs, and Ward had such nice lips. Of course, it'd label the guy, but he could work an angle for that to keep the bond safe and secure.

He stepped back at the push and feel his back meet rough bark, his eyes half-lidded with pleasure at the apparent aggressiveness. Now that they couldn't be seen he slipped his hands out to grabbed onto Ward's ass properly so that he could pull the other man in so their hips pressed together.

"There's a scientific research branch of HYDRA about fifty clicks from here, buried underground. It has key information on the serum, and if we can get to it and get people out and get hands on the information, we'd be mighty rewarded," he said, fingers kneading against Ward's ass. "We do it together in the name of HYDRA, and you get to gain face and I get to prove I'm still physically and mentally capable of performing the duties of my job."

[imadebreakfast]

"Appreciate it. Can't make that kind of promise myself." She shrugged, then, settling back just a little, though one foot was still braced to lever herself upright again should she have to, "I've still got an hour or two, might as well get as close to a full charge as we can while we can, right?"

Another one of those crooked little smiles, "And I don't figure you would have invited me in if you were just planning on kicking me out again right away." Which he'd as much as said in saying she could stay as long as she liked, "Y'know, if I was the kind of person who believed in that kind of thing, I'd say fate has a really fucked-up sense of humor."

[infligere]

Ah well, he didn't think that she would get too close with him knowing about it, at least not close enough to slit his throat. He wondered if she could or if like him, she was a stuck by the bond as he was. He hoped so and that that knowledge made her uncomfortable because there was nothing more attractive than watching her squirm. Okay, maybe punching her in the face had been pretty attractive too.

"Yeah considering all that's happened, I would say that fate has a really fucked up sense of humor and just likes to torture people on principle," he said as he folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. "This wasn't actually supposed to happen to me. I never took a second glance at anyone, and now look at me? Slumping around inviting a woman to stay as long as she likes."

[imadebreakfast]

Honestly she wasn't sure if she'd be able to kill him. A swipe to something non-vital as a warning to keep his hands off, probably, but she wasn't even totally sure of that, or if she'd even want to in the first place.

Fucking biology.

She huffed, partly amused and oddly partly commiserating at the statement, "Yeah, and I was supposed to find a nice girl, settle down somewhere with a good HOA, invite the neighbors over for holiday parties and barbeques. Instead I got Riley, and turns out that wasn't even true." If he'd actually been listening, that was the first real confirmation as to why he wasn't her type.

[infligere]

Brock snorted at her reply to set up a scenario of what ifs and dream world that had clearly come crashing down. Neither of them would clearly have what they wanted in this, but it was enough that they had come to some kind of agreement to knowing they needed to at least at times have to be close to each other. It was the only way this was going to work, so she could hold on to her what ifs and long gones all she liked.

"Life is a bitch, and you get used to it or just learn to dull your disappointment," he said with a shrug of his shoulders as he laid his arm across the back of the couch. "At least you aren't dead, so there's your only bonus."

[imadebreakfast]

Honestly it had been mostly sarcasm, not that she would have objected to living out the new nuclear family scenario, but she was pretty sure she'd get bored with it before long, because that kind of normal started to grate after a while.

"Disappointment's kind of the way the world works." She shrugged, "Just as long as you can find what makes you happy in between, evens things out a little." A nod, "And alive, yeah, we'll call that a bonus, for now. Pretty sure it should just be the baseline, though."

[infligere]

Brock certainly wasn't adverse to living out the nuclear scenario because there was something morbidly entertaining about that kind of fall out where he imagined himself on a boat fishing for the last days of his life. A man like him really had simple needs. Family wasn't one of them, and he didn't think that it ever would be even after finding his bond. Good thing neither of them wanted to touch each other.

"Disappointment is pretty much life in a nutshell," he agreed with a nod of his head. "You clearly have high standards ahead of you if you think appreciating how living is a baseline," he replied with a smirk. "Some of us are blessed to have made it passed six years old." Not that he was one of them, but he had heard a few stories here and there.

[imadebreakfast]

She nodded, "I'm lucky I made it into the double digits. I was kind of a reckless kid." That same wry little smile, "And too damn curious for my own good. Not a good combination." That was, apparently, all he was going to get on the subject, though.

If he asked, she might tell him, but only maybe, mostly it depended on how he asked, and if he actually wanted to know. Mostly she was curious to see what would happen if she didn't volunteer information. Sitting in silence would get weird fast, but she'd weathered weird before and was pretty sure she could handle it in this case.

[infligere]

Yeah well she wasn't the only one lucky to make double-digits, but he prided himself on making his own way in life from a young age. It wasn't like anyone was going to do it for him, and he now preferred it that way. He had been forced into independence early. "Well you seemed to have turned out alright for being reckless," he replied, giving her the once over as if trying to decide if she was actually hiding some impressive scarring under her clothes.

"I think you should give me some examples so I can compare to my own upbringing," he said casually, as if testing the waters on just how close she was going to let him go. It wasn't like he could just torture the information out of her, since that wouldn't nearly be as entertaining as possibly coaxing it.

[imadebreakfast]

Nothing too impressive, most of them had faded as she'd grown, and with two seasonal growth spurts about three years apart even the worst of them were more or less invisible now.

She eyed him for a moment in turn, almost debating, and finally just shrugged, rolling up her sleeve to show him the back side of her forearm, there was a scattered scar there, some of it still dimples, most of it just darker flecks like some sort of bizarre freckling, "I was eight, decided that skateboarding down a gravel driveway seemed like a good idea."

And there was that smile again, open and amused and not at all afraid of laughing at herself, "I was one of those kids with a skateboard made out of a couple fence planks and rollerskate wheels, so obviously those locked up after the first few feet, just long enough to get up to speed before I got pitched off, got a matching set all along the thigh, too." She added, patting the leg in question, "Mom just about killed me herself, kept threatening too all the way to the hospital. Pretty sure they picked a pound and a half of gravel out of me once we got there, which is pretty impressive when I was only about 90 pounds, soaking wet."

[infligere]

He leaned closer when she showed off her forearm and while most of it had faded, he could tell that the injury probably would have been nasty given the story that went with it. So, she was one of those kids, huh? He actually couldn't say that he was surprised given she joined the military in an experimental division that gave nothing in the way of body armour and one was flying into active warfare on a part of mechanical wings. Only really reckless people did that.

He still ran a finger appraisingly over the dimples of scarring and hummed softly in response. "That can't be the only impressing really dumb thing that you did as a kid, right?" He gestured since he knew there were more flying stories that she just wasn't telling him right now.

[imadebreakfast]

There was no spark at the touch, and she'd only half expected there to be, but it was definitely warm, and she wasn't sure if that was just him or if it was the connection that they were both mostly ignoring.

"Made friends with a raccoon once, when I was about six." She shrugged, "Summer camping trip, just lucky I didn't get bit, and probably a good thing somebody noticed before I actually managed to lure it into the tent, that would have been a disaster. Pretty sure that was the same trip when I almost drowned in a pond that was a lot deeper than it looked."

There were certainly some mishaps during training with the wingpacks, and misadventures after she'd learned them, but they were discussing how she'd managed to make it to double digits, not her teenage recklessness, and certainly not her college-age shenanigans, though there hadn't been as many of those, given that she'd signed up with the EXO program after only a single semester of college, drawn in both by her reckless, curious streak, and the offer to pay for the rest of her college education.

[infligere]

For him the contact was like salving an itch that he hadn't realized existed until it was gone. He didn't like it at all, but he wasn't about to show anything about it either. He knew her by sight and that was all that there was to it, and she seemed to react to the sight of him in the same way. They hadn't anything funny with each other at least to test just how deep the bond went through pain or any other stimulus aside from prolonged separation.

"Now that was just dumb," he replied after the story with the raccoon, but then again... kids were really dumb. They didn't learn their smarts early unless they absolutely had to, and it was starting to shape up as one of those things where it was surprising she might have survived so long. Clearly she wasn't using her head much as a kid. "Let me guess, everything seemed like a good idea at the time and the consequences were never enough to make you realize just how dumb most of that stuff was after it had happened?"