What!!!
Really?! The System had asked just like this?!!
We stared at each other in shock.
Of course I wanted to say yes. But.
Why would Llewellyn even agree to this?!
"Ryo?" Llewellyn asked. I was still on my back with Llewellyn on top of me, my wrists pressed above my head.
I swallowed. My heartbeat was very loud.
Llewellyn must have misinterpreted my expression because he looked away and said, "If you don't want to, that's fine."
Me?! Not wanting to?! Was he insane?!
"Are you crazy?" I said, face on fire, hooking my leg around him to pull him closer. "Of course I want to."
Llewellyn's eyes snapped back to me immediately.
"…"
I couldn't help it. I leaned up and kissed him before falling back on the mattress.
"Then…" Llewellyn said, following me down and kissing me again, seemingly helplessly, "…shall we accept?"
I stared at him, baffled. "But why would you want to?"
There was a pause.
"…Really?" Llewellyn said, looking unimpressed.
Well… yes?
"We haven't even asked if the bond can be severed," I went on. "Why would tie yourself to—" I trailed off.
"Because I want to," Llewellyn said, pressing a kiss on my throat. "Why else?"
I swallowed. "But—"
Maybe I was hyperventilating slightly.
"Stop putting this on me," Llewellyn said, kissing up toward my jaw and tightening his grip around my wrists, before pulling back to look down at me. "I know what I want. What do you want?"
I was dying. Why did we have to have this discussion in this position!
And.
Of course I wanted to bond with him. What a question.
"I…" I was really bad with words. Did he have to make me say it?! This was embarrassing! Llewellyn leaned down to nibble at my neck. "I want to," I said, swallowing. "Obviously."
Llewellyn pulled back to study my face and exhaled.
"But. Uh. Let's... ask the System what this bond implies first," I stammered, trying to collect my wits. "Just so we know what we're getting ourselves into."
"Fair enough," Llewellyn said, kissing me again. "System?"
The System pinged.
[System Notification: Compatibility threshold exceeded! Bond offer generated.]
Huh? Wait.
"You also said 'Compatibility threshold exceeded' the first time Llewellyn and I solved a Distorted Realm together," I said. "So why offer a bond now?"
[System Clarification: Initial pairing indicated functional compatibility. Observed behavioral data over time shows deeply intertwined emotional attachment and mutual love. Parameters massively exceeded on multiple occasions.]
Mutual what!!! My face caught fire entirely.
Llewellyn froze too and moved back to stare at me.
[User Ryo and Partner Llewellyn are already behaving as bonded partners. The System generated a bond offer to validate it.]
Oh my god.
I supposed, since I couldn't express myself properly, it wasn't too bad that the System was taking the initiative, but… still!
"What are the advantages of agreeing to a bond?" Llewellyn asked, not taking his eyes off me even for a second. He looked rather dazed.
The System chimed.
[System Notification: A bond between User Ryo and partner Llewellyn would establish a living magical connection.
Effects include:
- Possibility of telepathic communication (subject to locking and unlocking).
- Awareness of each other's emotional state and well-being.
- Increased ease when using magic while acting with bonded Partner in mind.
- Access to exclusive quests and rewards available only to bonded partners.]
Held down as I was, I could feel my chest rising and falling.
"Can the bond be revoked or rescinded later on?" I asked.
Llewellyn frowned at me, looking unhappy, but… someone had to ask this.
[System Notification: The bond is unique and permanent. It cannot be severed. However, most effects can be locked or deactivated. Complications if users drift apart are minimal.]
I swallowed.
This really was…
"You really want to have this conversation while on top of me?" I asked, looking up at Llewellyn. Even reading my System window was a bit difficult.
Llewellyn raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Ideally, I'd like to have all conversations while on top of you."
That's…!!!
Damn.
I tugged my wrist free and pulled him down into a kiss.
I really wanted to agree to this. But.
"System," I said. "What happens if one of us dies?"
Llewellyn's eyes went dark, his grip on the wrist he was still pinning tightening.
[System Notification: In the event of one bonded User's death, the surviving User retains all memories and emotional imprints from the bond. The connection does not cause additional harm or instability. The surviving User may experience grief, but the bond itself does not amplify or extend suffering beyond what is natural.]
I exhaled.
Well, that was reassuring. I'd been worried the bond might do something awful to Llewellyn if I died again.
"Mmh. So it won't hurt you," I said, looking up at him.
Llewellyn's jaw tightened. "That's not the part I'm concerned about."
Well, it was the part I was concerned about.
Llewellyn's forehead came down to rest against mine and he took a deep breath.
"System," he said. "What else should we know?"
[System Notification: The bond adapts to the Users' preferences. Telepathic communication can be toggled. Emotional sensing has adjustable sensitivity. Users retain full autonomy over their thoughts and actions. The bond does not compel behavior or override free will.]
"So we can turn things on and off," I said, my free hand sliding under Llewellyn's shirt.
Why did the System seem so invested in making us accept?!
[Correct. The bond exists to support Users, not constrain them.]
"What about these quests you mentioned?" Llewellyn asked.
[System Notification: Bonded users may receive joint missions with enhanced rewards. These missions are optional and can be declined without penalty.]
"Joint missions? As in Dungeon Quests?"
[System Notification: Affirmative, although their nature may slightly differ.]
"In what way?"
[Bonded quests are designed to level up the Users' bond, not solve Knots.]
Well. I supposed that made sense.
"Is there anything else?" I asked. "Any downsides we should know about?"
[System Notification: The bond is designed to support Users' wellbeing and boost their happiness. There are no hidden drawbacks.]
Llewellyn frowned. "But why would you care about that?"
[System Notification: User happiness is a primary metric in all System calculations. Happy Users demonstrate 37.8% higher survival rates and 41.3% improved outcomes. A thriving bond boosts geusgnosis and improves Users' life experience.]
There was that word again.
Llewellyn's eyes moved back to me. I swallowed.
I thought about my bond with Penguin—how the System had nudged us toward it, how it had stabilized him.
My life really had been better since.
If this was the same… I was suddenly a bit touched at the implication that bonding with me might actually make Llewellyn's life better, even if just slightly.
"So you're saying," I said slowly, addressing the System again, "that you want us to be happy?"
[System Notification: Correct.]
Llewellyn let out a breath that was almost a laugh. "That's unexpectedly sweet."
[System Notification: The System does not experience sweetness.]
We both grinned.
Llewellyn was still looking down at me with an expression I couldn't decipher. His grip on my wrists had loosened, and his thumb was tracing small circles.
I swallowed.
My hand was still under his shirt.
"You have the last say," Llewellyn said, voice low. "Do you want to? Even though we can turn effects on and off, the bond is still permanent."
He was leaving the decision to me?! I'd literally come back from the dead because I wanted to see him again!
I must have blurted something embarrassing out because Llewellyn let out a surprised noise, his face going scarlet. Then he leaned down to kiss me until we were properly making out, rocking into each other, and forgot about everything else.
[System Notification: Would Users Ryo and Llewellyn like to initiate a bond?]
Oh, right. We had to answer.
"I do," Llewellyn said, looking down at me.
"I—" I swallowed, eyes glued to his lips. "I do too."
Both of my wrists ended up pressed above my head again as Llewellyn's breath became more labored.
The System window burst into a shower of confetti.
[System Notification: Bond between User Ryo and Partner Llewellyn initiated!]