Training
Chapter 8 - Day 4


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Notes/Disclaimer: This fic is based solely on the Dinotopia movie, NOT the series. I apologize for any inconsistencies with the books. I don't apologize for any inconsistencies with the series because it bit. I don't own the movie, or the series, or the books. Thank you.

Note: I had to change the amount of time that the cadets spend in training with White Riders. It's now down to one week, because frankly, I don't have enough material for two.
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The dream was different that night. This time he was submerged to his shoulders in cool water, lying on his back on a beach in the moonlight. His lover was a comfortable weight on top of him and he sighed, closing his eyes and reveling in the pleasure of it.

There was nothing between them but water; both were quite nude, and everywhere their flesh contacted burned sensuously, reviving the fire in David's veins even as the cool water soothed his flesh. The sharp contrast of it was nearly painful.

Sebastian leaned down over him, his lips against David's neck, and murmured something. David couldn't hear what he was saying, but he could feel the lips moving against his skin. He raised one hand, lifting it to Sebastian's head and tangling it in his lover's hair. God, it was so soft. He stroked it slowly, marveling at its texture and fluidity.

Sebastian's head lifted once more, grinning at David's preoccupation. He placed one of his own hands at the base of David's neck and slowly, sensuously, dragged it down the length of his body, trailing his fingertips against David's skin, coming closer and closer to reaching the source of the burning heat that David felt between them.

And once again, he woke up.

David had Freefall saddled and had mounted before he was even fully awake. The Skybax seemed to sense his need, and took off without question, gliding easily into the still morning darkness.

They set down on the opposite side of the canyon, just out of sight of their camp. Wearily, David dismounted and sat near the edge of the chasm, one hand idly stroking the side of Freefall's leg.

"What am I going to do?" he asked softly.

Freefall turned his great head towards David, looking at him down the length of his beak. "What, exactly, is your problem?" he asked in Saurian. "Do you dislike Sebastian?"

"No." David hesitated, struggling to put his feelings into words. "It's just that, well, back home they don't really... I mean, people don't like it when other people are gay."

"Gay?" asked Freefall.

"People who like other people of the same gender," David clarified. "It's not socially acceptable in the place where I used to live. I'm not even sure if I like guys, let alone if I'm willing to deal with that kind of pressure."

"No one will dislike you for your preferences in Dinotopia," said Freefall.

"My family will," David muttered.

"You should do what will make you happy," Freefall said with calm logic. "That is the most important duty you have. First make yourself happy. Only then can you bring happiness to those around you."

"I guess you're right," said David. "The only problem is, how am I supposed to know what will make me happy? I mean, do I really want to be with Sebastian? Heck, I don't even really know what his intentions are, do I?"

"What will you do?" asked Freefall.

David sighed. "Well, if he makes another move on me, I'll... I'll see how I feel then. I promise, when he does, I'll talk to him. Okay?"

Freefall nodded decisively, as if that settled it, while in reality, David felt more unsettled than ever. Was Sebastian even going to make another move? It seemed likely. Did David want him to make another move? That was the question, wasn't it? David couldn't bring himself to find the answer.

"What does he even see in an indecisive wimp like me?" David asked himself as he mounted Freefall.

The sun was just rising when he got back to the camp, and Sebastian was already up. His mentor smiled at him, as though nothing had happened between them the previous night.

"You ready for today's lesson?"

David nodded, not exactly relishing another day of the kind of intense exercises he had had yesterday. Two days in a row might just be a bit too much.

Sebastian must have seen his expression. His grin widened. "How about this: We spend the morning doing our latest exercise with Cliffdiver chasing you, and then after lunch we can do something easy. Sound good?"

David heaved a releaved sigh and nodded. He mounted Freefall and prepared himself for a rigorous morning.

By lunchtime, David and Freefall had finally gotten the hang of the exercise. It was all about teamwork. Freefall had to rely on David to steer him to where the ball was going to be, while Freefall himself scanned for Cliffdiver and called a warning if he was coming too close. The trick was in the cooperation. David realized sheepishly that this was probably what he was supposed to be learning from the exercise all along.

He sat down with Sebastian around the remains of the previous night's campfire, feeling rather triumphant. He could tell from the look on his mentor's face that Sebastian was proud of him.

"You finally figured it out," Sebastian said happily.

David nodded. "It was pretty simple, in retrospect. I'm just not used to flying without Freefall watching where we're going."

"Well, you'll have to get used to it. In a battle situation, he's the one who needs to be looking out for enemy attacks. So you're the one who has to guide him."

David nodded, and Sebastian stood. "Now," he said, "we agreed on something easy for the afternoon, right?"

The afternoon exercise turned out to be as easy as Sebastian promised, but loads of fun. Basically, Sebastian and Cliffdiver took off as fast as they could down the canyon, and David and Freefall simply had to try to follow and keep up. It was exhilarating. By the end of the day, David was sure his face was windburned, but it had been worth it.

As he lay down to go to sleep that night, it occurred to him that Sebastian hadn't approached him all day. At least not about... David wasn't sure whether that was comforting or disconcerting.

"'Night David," he heard Sebastian murmur from the other side of the fire; his mentor was still sitting up, staring out over the edge of the canyon.

"Goodnight Sebastian," he replied.

There was a long moment of silence, and David had nearly drifted off when he heard Sebastian speak.

"Idiot," his mentor muttered. His voice sounded particularly annoyed; David was unused to hearing that tone from him. At first he gathered himself to reply, thinking that Sebastian was talking to him, but Cliffdiver answered him first.

"Are you brooding again?" the Skybax asked in Saurian.

"Maybe." Sebastian sounded defensive.

"By all that is sacred, why? You cannot keep doing this. It is not healthy for your mind, or for your emotions."

"Easy for you to say," Sebastian muttered.

Cliffdiver gave the Saurian equivalent of a gusty sigh. "So what's wrong now?" he asked. David, trying his hardest not to give an indication that he was awake, listened intently. He got the feeling that Sebastian and Cliffdiver had had this conversation more than once before.

"I just feel like such a pervert," Sebastian said, and David could hear the controlled frustration in his voice. "I mean, he's just a kid. He may not be much younger than me, but he's definitely not ready for any kind of relationship. You can tell." Opening one eye, David saw that Sebastian had put his face in his hands.

"It's not fair. Maybe I've just been too lonely lately. It's not like I've had any serious relationships lately either."

Cliffdiver was silent for a moment, but David could feel that the great dinosaur was pondering what to say. Saurians, unlike most people, tended to think before they spoke.

"Are you after him merely for the desires of the flesh?" the Skybax asked eventually.

"No!" said Sebastian vehemently. "Of course not. No. Definitely not. If that were it, I could probably bed anyone on the squadron. Lord knows any number of them have been trying to get there for ages. But... no. I think I really care about him, strange as that may seem. I mean, just look at him."

David closed his eye hurriedly as he felt their gazes shift to him.

"You have to admit," Sebastian was saying, "that his cluelessness is adorable. And he's just... so young. I spirit, I mean. He's untainted by the rest of this world. He's different. Exotic, I guess. Maybe it's just because he's an outsider, but he's so... so... vital. Dynamic. Not like everyone else here, who are so stuck in the same patterns that it feels like they'll be caught there forever. No, I like him because he's new. Something I haven't seen before."

Again, Cliffdiver's silence was long and weighted. When he finally spoke, his words sent a shiver through David.

"What you describe," the Skybax said, "and the feeling with which you describe it. It sounds as though you are speaking of love."

David dared to once again crack an eye open to gauge Sebastian's reaction, and found that his mentor looked startled.

"I don't know," said Sebastian softly. "Perhaps you're right."

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