As per usual, on her free day after breakfast, Arlie went to find her sister. It had been like clockwork ever since Haveli recovered from her coma post-Hatching, the next best thing to apologizing profusely for abandoning her in the middle of it. Not that it was just guilt fueling Arlie: she loved her sister beyond words, even on her worst days. That devotion had been earned, and whatever anyone else said, it wouldn’t just go away because of dragons.

Unusually, however, Arlie was given the day to herself when she reported in.

Oh, there was some odd sort of look in Haveli’s eyes when she gave permission, but Arlie knew not to question it. Maybe the candidatemaster or assistants were cracking down, and she wanted a day to herself to prep for the sevenday ahead. Maybe her sister just...didn’t want to spend the only full day they had to themselves having to look at Alegriath. Arlie couldn’t blame her, even if it hurt to think so. At least it wasn’t like before, when Haveli could barely tolerate the white’s sunny attitude and had even sent her away. Now there was a begrudging acceptance, a silent threat to never break that trust.

(Arlie still hadn’t found the right way to apologize for impressing first, and trying to do it six months later seemed just a little too awkward and a little too late.)

So...she sat outside, soaking in the early afternoon rays, absolutely unsure of what to do with herself. Homework? Visit the nice people with the herdbeasts? She stroked Alegriath’s spine in idle thought. It was a con to the otherwise pleasant days of rest that Arlie felt a little guilty for disliking. Every day besides today had structure, schedules for where to go and what to do and for how long. Without someone telling her what to do, what could she do?

< Anything~! > Ale snaked her head into her lap, looking up at her with deep and sparkling eyes. < Isn’t that wonderful? > she chirped.

Six months ago, Arlie couldn’t have handled that much love at once. Now she managed to meet her dragon’s gaze without being shy as she thumbed across one of the white’s headknobs. It’s a little scary, she admitted, leaning into that comfort.

Alegriath scooted just a little more into her lap, though she was careful not to press her weight down. Small as she was, a dragon was a dragon. < What is? > she asked.

Having so much time, I guess, Arlie answered. I don’t know what do to. What if I just waste the day?

Alegriath cocked her head, which was more just resting against her rider’s hand. < Are you wasting it now? >

Arlie quickly said No! in fear of offending her, even when it seemed nothing could. Only recently was she noticing how ingrained that impulse was that even her most treasured couldn’t stop it. Just one more thing—

In the length of a blink, they were touching noses. Her vision was almost wholly gentle white sparkles and blue-purple eyes.

< Boop! And just like magic, I’ve whisked the negative stuff all away, love. > Ale winked. < Dragons have a secret pocket world for that. Like Between, but better! >

Arlie found herself smiling, and she bumped their noses again. Sorry. Thank you.

It was funny that she had 16 turns over her dragon, but at barely six months it was Alegriath being the maternal one. Arlie had tried to be the strong one in this partnership, like Haveli had been (still was) for her, but having someone crawl over your insides with the mental equivalent of the world’s warmest hug made being stern just a teensy bit difficult. Even Alegriath had tried her claw at being a more cool and stoic individual during their first few months, basing her performance on Arlie’s memories. But it was just that—a performance. Nothing could ever stop the sunshine from shining through.

Mostly, it was beautiful. Sometimes, it was a little too bright.

< Why don’t we go find some people and play a game? > Alegriath suggested.

I don’t wanna bother anyone. It was their rest day, Arlie was sure her classmates had plenty of other people to be seeing.

< They’re family, silly, > the white insisted. < You couldn’t bother them! But we could take a walk and just say hi to whoever we see, if you’re worried. >

Arlie tensed. She tried to hide it by going back to stroking her dragon’s headknobs and spine, but it was a paper disguise to her life mate. Alegriath leaned forward to boop again, but Arlie took her head between her hands and stopped her.

It’s not a negative thing, she explained. They're not my family. That’s...just the truth. Alegriath was already forming an argument, so she quickly continued, I still like them. Most of them. Please don’t get me wrong. But just because I like them doesn’t make them brothers or sisters. It’s not the same for us like it is for you.

Alegriath mulled over that for a moment. < Why’s that matter? > she asked.

Arlie simply answered, Because Haveli is family. She’s my real sister.

The weyr had taken “protector.” Alegriath had taken “closest friend.” Nothing else could threaten what she felt was the last strong connection between them. Afraid that Ale would contend the point, Arlie braced herself.

Alegriath looked at her for another few moments before exuding another wave of love. < I’m not related by blood, but we’re family, right? >

Her rider sighed. That’s not the same...

< Why not? > She pulled her head out of the comfy grip and straightened. There was only a childish curiosity in her tone. < You can still have a blood-sister and have other sisters too, like me. Love doesn’t cancel itself out. It grows and grows~ >

Arlie frowned slightly. She thought “love” was a strong word for just classmates, however close knit some got. “Cared for” maybe, for a few, the way you cared for a firelizard.

< Nope! > The magical boop came again. < Bad thought gone! Honestly. > Alegriath hwonked. < Everyone is being so weird about love now! Don’t be so down about it, ArlieLove. Let’s go for a walk in the sun, I bet that’ll clear the clouds in your head! > She stood and offered her tail as a pseudo-hand up.

It was better than just sitting there, Arlie guessed. Taking hold of the tail fork, she followed her dragon to the lake, parent and child.