Ha. I actually really liked Lavan's story, precisely because it's a study in all the ways bonds and magic can go horribly, terribly WRONG. I like bonding tropes much more when they go awry than when they're accepted as perfect romantic fluff -- which may, as you say, have something to do with being ace, or may just be a manifestation of more general cynicism and an interest in how things break. *wry*

Also, bonding tropes tend to be logistically absurd and/or really problematic when it comes to free will, and I like when people notice and try to resolve those issues instead of handwaving them aside with "but true love (and really hot sex)!!!"