I'd already fallen for one of mine before we tried a temporary Bond; we'd both been nervous about the prospect, but quickly decided to make a permanent thing of it. [His voice is warm, fond.]

The other ended up being a matter of life or death but we'd been friends--and decided to Bond--before it got to that point. Circumstances just hastened us along.

[And because he's a snoopy deer who listens to things,] I'd been hesitant myself because it was a very great commitment for me to make to someone, even if the native folk here often treat Bonds more lightly than friendships.