Yorick was caressing absent-mindedly his dragon, trying to get focused enough to compete. He wasn't lacking only concentration, but also motivation. And he had been lacking that for a while.

He loved competitions. He had always loved them. And yet he didn't enjoy them no more: he kept getting second place in the speed competition, behind Leif.

Leif, Leif, Leif. The most wanted guy of the island, the one who got all the cutest girls and boys, one of the youngest and most talented Dragontamers of all the islands.

He loved him like a brother. Sometimes he had even wondered if he wanted to be him or to be with him. Not that the blonde had ever considered him as more than a friend.

He was tired of feeling like a secondary character even in his own life. He surely didn't blame Leif for being a protagonist even in other people's lives, but he was tired, really tired.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't care about beating Leif. He wasn't interested in stealing Mira from him, even though he thought he was adorable. He just wanted to... stand out.

He looked up, away from his thoughts, and his eyes met a pair of dark brown ones, almond shaped.

They belonged to a boy whose hair was of the same colour and whose clothes were light blue and grey. He had never seen him before.

- Beautiful dragon - commented the stranger. Yorick gulped, enraptured by his beauty, and nodded.

- T-thanks...

- My name's Jun - the boy introduced himself. He must have been a little older than him.

- Yorick.

They shook hands. The feather on Jun's wrist was blue.

- I've always wondered what your name was - said Jun.

- Uh?

- I've lost count on how many seasons I've spent watching you, wanting to fly by your side, to beat you. I've found my dragon, Luna, only recently, but we've trained hard for this competition. You have inspired me to follow my dream and I want to achieve it - affirmed the Dragontamer, serious. Yorick's eyes widened. What that boy was telling him was incredible.

- I-I'm... I'm glad then...

- Today or at the next competition, it doesn't matter. I'll beat you, Yorick - promised Jun, determined. He was about to leave, but Yorick grabbed him by the wrist and stopped him.

- If you lose, go out with me tonight - he proposed impulsively. He arched a brow.

- And if I win?

- You choose.

The shadow of a smile appeared on the boy's lips.

- So be it - he accepted, shaking his hand again. He left, leaving the Dragontamer with a heartthrob and the desire to win.

From that moment on he was going to stop being a secondary character, he decided. He was going to become a protagonist worth of his story.

He turned to Lutfi.

- Let's win. For us.

The dragon puffed loudly from his nose. His tamer put a hand under his face and brought it closer to his own, then kissed his nose.

The afternoon came soon. Yorick noticed Jun between the competitors, just for a moment, and that stolen glance was enough to make his heart burn with determination.

He went to Leif. The fire Dragontamer looked at him and smiled, without saying a word. His friend smiled back. They didn't need to talk to understand each other.

Mira had taken place between the villagers at the start to watch. He was feeling quite emotional.

The man who had done the speech at the square made the competition start. The dragons took off into the blue sky like colourful festoons ripped by the wind.

Ruby was the first of the group, followed by Lutfi and by other unknown dragons.

- And even the result of this competition is foregone - joked Rorik.

The dragons disappeared from their view. For many rounds Yorick didn't turn around to see if Jun was near or if he had been blocked by other dragons. He was sure of winning.

But then the boy appeared at his side and flew past him, aiming for Leif. He didn't know how many rounds he had flown, but he didn't want to risk losing; in case of draw, what counted was who had completed first the round at the last drum beat.

Not much time was left before the end of the competition. He kept an eye on Jun for some rounds, sure that Leif wasn't ever going to be surpassed. He, though, had to catch up. But how? I'll never pass between Luna and Ruby, he thought.

Mira was following the competition breathless. An unknown, blue dragon had been behind Ruby for a while now and seemed to have the intention of surpassing him. It was really fast for a water dragon.

Yorick decided for a very risky move: he ordered Lutfi to fly under the other dragons and then to pass between Luna and Ruby. The time was almost over.

- Please. Please please please - whispered the air Dragontamer. And his dragon, almost like he had listened to his prayer, moved his wings one last, powerful time and completed the round second, behind Ruby and followed by Luna.

Yorick turned around and met Jun's eyes, who was astonished. He smiled, before turning around again.

They were showered with compliments. Mira threw his arms around Leif's neck and kissed him passionately. It was hard to watch them and wait for the square to be a little less crowded.

- I knew you were going to win - said Jun, after shaking his hand. - It would have been good to beat you, but it was my first competition, I'm not as experienced as you and Leif. Don't think that I'm giving up, though! I'll beat you, someday, it's a promise.

Yorick smiled.

- I'm looking forward to it - he replied. - You were incredible nonetheless. You got the third place! At your first competition!

Jun blushed softly. He was so cute. The air Dragontamer felt butterflies in his stomach.

- So... tonight... go out with me? - he asked, hesitant. - Since I won.

A smirk appeared on the water Dragontamer's pink lips.

- I would have gone out with you even if I had won - he confessed, blushing even more.

They said goodbye to each other and agreed to meet for dinner at the square, before leaving and going to their rooms to change their clothes and rest a bit.

They had dinner in an inn. Jun was a nice company: he was serious, smart, interesting and interested in what his partner had to say; Yorick felt almost intimidated by him, even though he couldn't explain why, and was trying to act like he did with the other Dragontamers, but couldn't.

After dinner they went to the beach. The sun was going to sleep on the horizon's line.

- So... you would have gone out with me... even if you had won? - dared to ask Yorick. It was since the end of the competition that that thought made him feel agitated.

Jun nodded.

- Why?

The water Dragontamer blushed and ran his fingers through his hair, showing the nervousness he was feeling, hidden behind his fake calmness.

- Well, you know I admire you a lot as Dragontamer... also you're charismatic, you're funny, you're attractive... - he answered, blushing even more. Yorick was surprised.

- You really think that of me? - he asked. Jun nodded again.

- Yes, of course.

- Oh.

For a second the silence fell. The air Dragontamer glanced at his friend.

- I was thinking... I know, we've known each other for a day, but you could train regularly with me. I mean, very regularly. I could be your... personal trainer, or something like t-... - but he didn't finish the sentence, because Jun grabbed him by the shoulders and pressed his lips on his. Yorick didn't stop to think not even a second and kissed him back.

They kissed for a while, pressed close one to the other.

- Well, you see... this is what I meant with personal trainer - blabbered Yorick, breathless. - I mean...

Jun was as red as Ruby, and he was beautiful.

- Jun...

He brushed his lips with his own.

- Do you want to... be my boyfriend?

The water Dragontamer smiled shyly.

- Yes - he whispered. Yorick brought a hand to his head, in his brown hair, and pulled him close to kiss him.

His life as a protagonist started there, on that beach, with a boy that had eyes only for him, for whom he was everything but a secondary character, and who had inspired and motivated him.