Path Advancements are strange. Your Archetype and Specialization are the least important choice you make within them. They give your Path a name, tell you and others what to expect, if you choose to listen.

  What truly matters are your Advancement Options. They shape your Path and guide you further. Do you allow it to remain focused and pick similar options time and time again, or do you branch out, stretch yourself further into variety.

  Either way you will be supported, either way you will become yourself.

  ~ * ~

  By the time they reached the kitchen Seb had managed to stop blushing at being called a pillow. It was one thing for her to have been comfortable using his leg while he found did his best to rest sitting upright, it was another entirely for her to point out she'd enjoyed it. Of course the fact that he'd spent a good amount of time watching her sleep while fading in and out was besides the point.

  They spent most of the next hour in relative silence, brushing past one another in the kitchen while getting food ready. Nothing complicated, nothing fancy, just snacks and easy dishes they'd be able to nibble from while they relaxed. Finally everything was spread across the living room table and they sank onto opposite ends of the couch facing one another.

  "That was," he started, not even sure what he was referring to let alone how he wanted to finish. He wasn't sure when or why they'd dropped the band but words felt right in the moment, sound to fill the space around them, sound to keep them in the moment.

  "A long couple days? A lot of information? Intense?" Anya finished around a handful of popcorn.

  "All of those."

  "I feel as though half of what I was taught was a lie, or at least incomplete."

  "Path Advancement?" At her nod he continued. "I'm sorry you didn't get to choose-"

  "No, you were right. It fits me. Just because they made it happen doesn't make it the wrong choice," she interrupted.

  Putting her food down she slid across the couch, settling against him and picking at his plate. "Thank you."

  "For?"

  "Holding Syl. The name, and what you said."

  Seb didn't answer, he'd said a lot of things, he'd made fun of his choice of names, he'd said he didn't want to take away part of her freedom.

  As if sensing his confusion she clarified. "I want you by my side. I want you standing with me, always."

  Something caught in his throat, he must have swallowed wrong yet couldn't remember what he'd last picked up to eat. He'd meant exactly what he'd said, his promise to be there as long as she wanted.

  "I'm not going anywhere, I'm Your Seneschal remember?" He knew how awkwardly his answer came out, but he couldn't think of anything else to say.

  "Seb…" she sighed. In that moment he could feel her disappointment, her frustration. He could feel it as clearly as he could feel the warmth of her touch.

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  "What is it?" he asked.

  "Remember how I said I thought I figured out the answer to how you were able to establish a band through the wall?"

  "Yes? I guessed it had to do with my gift, with you being so close I felt something," he answered uncertainly.

  "That might have helped, but that isn't what's happening. I'm certain we're forming a Bond."

  "You mean like your Gift?"

  "Yes, like my Gift, like the jewelry, like the weapons," she answered sharply. "Right now you're confused, you're uncertain, you're happy and you don't want me to go anywhere."

  He froze, she was right on all counts even though he'd said nothing and she couldn't see his face. "You're upset, you're happy too though. Is that what you mean?"

  "Exactly," she answered. "We can feel emotions when we're linked and communicating over band, but we can feel some of the emotions the rest of the time too."

  He said nothing, considering all the times he had felt or realized something without her actually conveying anything. "And a bond explains how I knew?"

  "Yes," she sighed then continued. "Unless what I know is more lies all Bonds allow the pair to be aware of where the other is, at least as far as which direction, know if they're healthy or not, awake or asleep, that sort of stuff. And establish bands from greater distances and without needing the same reaching out."

  "So through the wall. I knew where you were and just found you even though I shouldn't have been able to."

  She nodded, he couldn't see it but felt her head moving against his arm. "Bonds are two way, you can't establish one if it isn't mutual. War Pairings need extensive time fighting together, time learning to coordinate and know each other's style."

  He could feel her hesitation and glanced down, only to have her look away and fidget. "Partnership bonds are the other type. They're who the jewelry is meant for."

  "So-"

  She interrupted before he could even start to ask his question, as though desperate for him to understand something. "They know what they mean to each other, what they feel, even when unspoken."

  She stood up abruptly, nearly running to the stairs before turning to look back at him over her shoulder. "I'm headed to bed. Coming?"

  He glanced at the table, at the dishes and food a bit everywhere and then thought about the state of the kitchen. "Let me clean up down here and I'll head to bed too. See you in the morning."

  As he started stacking the plates he heard her feet on the stairs, heavier than usual. A wave of sadness and frustration flowing over him as he dealt with the leftovers. He couldn't shake the feeling he'd said something wrong.

  ~ * ~

  Anya stood in her bedroom doorway for a long moment before shutting the door firmly. She did not slam the door, if he wasn't going to take her hints she wasn't about to let him hear her frustration. Stomping up the stairs should have been obvious enough to make her point.

  What was she supposed to do to get him past whatever his problem was. She'd told herself she would wait until they were Diving, but then he'd promised to stand by her and she'd gotten clear confirmation they had a bond. There was no way it was a War Bond, they hadn't done enough fighting for that so it had to be a Partner bond. Did he not understand what that meant about his own feelings, about her feelings? That she knew how we felt about her?

  Standing in front the mirror as she finished changing for bed she looked herself up and down. He had said he liked what he saw, what she was seeing right now. That he liked Anya, not Lisa, not Lysanya, not the daughter of a Sovereign who pretended to fit in. He'd said he wanted to get to know her, how long was that supposed to take? She'd worry he had changed his mind, but if he had why was the bond growing?

  Growling under her breath at the unfairness of it all she stormed over to her bed and flopped down. He was still downstairs, still tidying up no doubt. Still ignoring her in the ways she was waiting for him to pay attention.

  Enough was enough, she decided. Once she heard him go into his room she would head over there and make him see her, make him look at her and tell her exactly what was wrong with her, what he disliked about everything she was showing him. She'd pin him down if she had to, see how he liked being tickled. She would get her answer and then she would know. Were they meant to be together, or just have some strange bond that made no sense.

  She would- Was he really knocking on her door? Had she actually heard that? She snarled in response, no real words, just garbled sounds. She heard him knock again, call her name. Had something happened? Couldn't he wait until morning?

  Finally she got up and went to the door, cracking it open just far enough to be considered civil. "Seb? What's wrong? Are you-"

  The hoodie, he was holding it like a precious gift, he-

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