and among friends, sometimes more so. "Blood is thicker than water" is a bastardization of the real quote, which is "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb." That can be interpreted religiously but also that the choice and agreement-based bonds of friendship are stronger than the bonds of family. https://medium.com/know-thyself-heal-thyself/of-blood-and-water-c3f8645c856f