Dragon Feathers

Simplicity

The morning after, Mira woke up early as any other day and was about to get up, when he felt Leif pull him close in his sleep. He stayed still, while a huge smile appeared on his lips after remembering the previous evening.

Leif gave him an amazing first kiss, then they kept on kissing for a long time. He asked him if he wanted to be his boyfriend, even though his answer was obvious.

He caressed his hair, before running a finger on his temples, his cheekbones, his lips.

- Mira... - muttered the Dragontamer, with a crooked smile. He grabbed his hand and placed it on his neck, then grabbed him by the waist, pulled him closer and kissed him, still with his eyes closed.

Mira kissed him back, wondering if he was completely awake or not. The boy opened his gorgeous green eyes, got on top of him, resting on his elbows, and went back to kissing him passionately.

It was incredible. They spent so much time desiring each other, and now they were devouring their lips on the fire Dragontamer's bed.

Mira blushed at the thought, but quickly went back to focusing on his boyfriend's mouth.

- We have to get up - muttered Leif, caressing him.

They got up, looking for each other continuously and holding hands under the table, while they had breakfast. The blonde's parents didn't notice anything and, if they did, they had nothing to say about it.

Leif accompanied Mira to the plants shop like everyday, with the only difference that, when they went out, he intertwined his fingers with his. News that made them smile.

- I can't believe it! Congratulations! - exclaimed Rorik, seeing them arrive. And he laughed with joy. His friends blushed softly, but kept holding hands.

- Thank you - sputtered shyly Mira.

- I wish you all the happiness of the world - said the plants Dragontamer, smiling. He was the most genuine person Mira had ever met and it was impossible not to love him.

- Thank you - grumbled Leif, before turning to his boyfriend and softly pressing their lips together. - I'll see you this evening, Mira.

And he left. Mira watched him leave with dreamy eyes.

- Your eyes sparkle so much, - asserted Rorik, once they went into the shop - that it seems like someone has stolen the stars and put them all in your eyes.

His assistant blushed and ran a hand through his hair, embarassed.

- I rectify, that Leif put them in your eyes - teased him kindly Rorik, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving him an affectionate squeeze. - Mira, seeing you two together makes me so happy! Leif is like a fire dragon, he fears nothing and sometimes he's a bit distant, but he's loyal and protective and he needs someone like you to feed his fire, not to extinguish it...

Like Elin, they both thought, without saying it, though.

They started working. Mira had his head in the clouds and made some vases fall. Rorik didn't feel like scolding him.

- When I got together with Lynae... - he said, while helping his assistant clean the disaster he made. - I didn't even go to work. My grandparents were still running the shop, I gave them a hand. We got on Bosko, because Illiya was still very wary and unpredictable, and we ran away to another island, just like that, for a day.

Mira smiled.

- It's not exactly a romantic get-away like yours, but... Leif is going to bring me to the competition of the change of the season - he said, running again a hand through his hair.

- I hope you'll have fun! - Rorik caressed Little Tree that had climbed on him. - When I was little my grandfather used to bring me to the competitions to watch. The islands transform themselves; there are festoons everywhere and the villagers wear special clothes, very colourful, for the occasion. The Dragontamers wear the outfits that they prepared for the occasion and their dragons have special equipment. Leif's outfits are super practical but beautiful.

He winked, and Mira blushed.

- Watching competitions is amazing, but nothing beats the feeling of the first competition. Soon you'll be part of the team too.

The Dragontamer with blue eyes scuffed his feet.

- I don't know. I don't think I'm good enough, and my dragon isn't special: she isn't able to make flowers appear out of nowhere, she can't burn down a forest with a fiery breath, she isn't able to turn everything into a statue of ice, she can't make clouds go away with her breath nor paralyze everything that moves with lightning... she's just a feathered dragon with an ordinary Dragontamer who, before shipwrecking here, didn't even know that dragons existed.

He said it. He had just confessed to Rorik his biggest worry: the one of not being special like everyone expected him to be. They expected Cloud to be the strongest dragon in the world, and her Dragontamer to be able to tame every dragon just with his gaze.

The plants Dragontamer sighed.

- Mira, you and Cloud are special. Do you think you become a Dragontamer by snapping your fingers? You did a miracle: you arrived here and found your dragon and learnt all the basics to be a Dragontamer in a blink, almost like you were born on the wrong island and just had to find your roots. You have a feather no one has, and you have a dragon no one had ever seen before! Who cares if you're not special in a traditional way? You're special in your own way! - Rorik paused to breathe. - Mira, I'm not Leif, but I'll say it anyway. Do you want reasons to feel special? You're special because you're you! Because Little Tree, Flower and Leaf love you more than they love me or Lynae, because you are the personification of simplicity, because your eyes are as blue as the sea and your smile is as bright as the sun. Maybe you won't become the most powerful Dragontamer in the world and probably you'll die of old age, in your sleep. What's wrong with that? You don't have to be exceptional to be special. Being simple doesn't exclude being special.

- Rorik, how can you be so wise?

- I'm just old - he answered. Their eyes met and they burst into laughter.

They went back to work. Now Mira was more focused; Rorik's words echoed in his mind: you don't have to be exceptional to be special. Being simple doesn't exclude being special.

The evening came. Leif was waiting for him outside as always and, when his amazing green eyes landed on him, he smiled.

- Hi, Mira - he greeted him, hugging him and kissing his hair. The boy put his arms around his waist and rested his head on his chest.

- Hi, Leif - he replied, feeling happy and peaceful.

His place was there, in his arms. And it was there, in that village, in that island, and he had no reason to feel inadequate.