Title: Dragons of Cascade

Author: Angelee

Fandom: The Sentinel

Pairing: Jim/Blair

Rating: Adult

Summary: Chose me. Chose me, please.

Beta: By Bobbie. All remaining errors are mine. With apologies.

Dragons of Cascade

“Jim?”

The Sentinel turned to see the smallest dragon he’d ever seen in his life approach him cautiously. He came up to Jim’s chest, with a wing span of no more than one of the Sentinel’s arms. He had beautiful coloring, though, with scales of iridescent blues and greens shimmering brightly in the hot summer sun. It went well with the small dragon’s big blue eyes.

“Yeah, hmm-you’re Blair, right?”

The dragon’s tiny head nodded up and down. “Yeah, you know me. Cool,” he replied happily.

Jim smiled. “I know you, because there’s been talk about you around Cascade. People are talking about how you’re the smallest dragon that has survived hatching in three hundred years.”

The little dragon’s head dipped down. “My mom believed in all natural prenatal care. Obviously not a good idea, at least for dragon kind,” he said sadly. “I’m the laughing stock of the dragon world.”

Jim went up to the dragon and with a gentle finger under his chin, lifted his head so he could see into the big, pretty blue eyes. “No you’re not. All they’re saying is that you’re little, chief. They’re not laughing at you,” he reassured. He watched those same pretty blue eyes fill with tears, despite the reassurance he tried to give.

“Why then, can’t I get a Sentinel to ride me? A dragon isn’t a worth a credit’s damn without a Sentinel.”

Jim shrugged. “Don’t know.”

Blair gave a heartfelt sigh. “I’ll tell you why, then. It’s ‘cause I suck at being a dragon.”

The Sentinel began gently rubbing behind the dragon’s ear scales, where he knew they liked being scratched, as it always soothed the most agitated dragon. He smiled inwardly when Blair tilted his head more in search of a continued scratch.

“No you don’t. You just need to give yourself more time to grow and become stronger.”

“That feels nice. Right there, ah, yeah-right there, right there. Don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

Jim chuckled softly. Dragons were all the same, from the littlest to the biggest. “I won’t stop, Chief. Don’t worry.”

“Jim? Would you ride me?” the tiny dragon asked, blue eyes darkening with hope. A small tinder flared inside of Blair, something he really wasn’t expecting to become reality. Why would the best Sentinel on the planet of Cascade want a little squirt of a dragon like him? He had to try, anyway.

Blair had heard the rumors that Jim was fair and understanding and especially gently with dragonkind. So he’d waited for a chance to talk with the Sentinel, his heart beating crazily in his chest as he silently waited for the Sentinel to come out of the changing room after doing a tour of the outer rim of Cascade.

Jim had never taken a dragon. He’d had offers. Hell, dragons were falling all over themselves trying to get him as their Sentinel. Yet Jim had refused every offer since coming on line two years ago, not wanting the responsibility of caring for a fragile dragon. Not even if it made his extremely sensitive senses easier to control. Jim had chosen, instead, to control his hypersensitive senses with herbs; herbs that were constantly making him sick with fever and stomach cramps. Yet even with that, Jim Ellison was one of the best Sentinels on Cascade.

Jim was able to protect the planet’s people and their crops from the dangers of other planets intent on plundering Cascade’s rich minerals and resources until there was nothing left but a hollowed out hole, where once there was a thriving civilization. Jim was known far and wide as the Watchman of Cascade, revered by the entire planet. He was offered the best place to sleep, the best food Cascade had to offer and riches Blair could only imagine. Blair knew, though, Jim rarely took what was readily offered to him. He took only what he needed to survive. Jim liked his loft on the small island of Prospect too much to live in one of the many palatial residences the Sentinel High Command was always trying to force the reclusive Sentinel into taking.

Jim searched Blair’s pleading eyes. “You know I don’t want a dragon,” he replied softly, praying he could avoid hurting the tiny dragon’s feeling. Blair was a beautiful dragon, if slight.

“I could help you with your senses. I know I could. I don’t eat much either. I won’t take up much space.”

Jim rubbed the soft scales on Blair’s face. “That might be one of the problems, buddy. You don’t eat enough. How the hell are you going to be able to carry me on my journeys to check Cascade’s perimeters? You’re so little, I don’t think you could carry an ant without it breaking your back.”

“I’m stronger than I look. Truly I am,” Blair pleaded softly. “Allow me to be your dragon.”

“Blair…”

“No one else will have me! You’re my only hope of having a Sentinel of my very own. I can’t shape shift into human form without bonding to a Sentinel; without a Sentinel’s love. I need you and I can help you with your senses when you’re out scouting. I know I can.”

“Blair, I don’t want a dragon.”

“I wouldn’t be any bother, I swear it! You wouldn’t even know I was around.”

Jim smiled ruefully. “Ha. If I took you as my dragon, when we bonded you’d been in my head all the time. I wouldn’t just hear you, like I do now. I’d feel every thought, every emotion. I have enough trouble dealing with my own thoughts and emotions. I don’t need to deal with someone else’s as well.”

Blair’s head dropped down dejectedly. “You don’t want me. Nobody wants me. I suck.”

Jim rubbed the sweet spot, getting a sigh of pleasure, even if it was a rather sad one. “What’s not to want, chief? You’re beautiful.”

The tiny dragon’s head came up. “You do want me?” Blair asked hopefully. “You just said I was beautiful.”

“Ah, well…”

“Please. I’ll made you the bestest dragon you even did see. Look, I can even breathe fire for when the bad guys try…ah…well, something bad,” with that Blair blew out a sharp breath. All that came out was a dark puff of smoke, making the Sentinel laugh. If nothing else, having Blair as his dragon would be entertaining.

“It’ll come, I’m sure,” he reassured the mortified dragon.

Blair’s head bobbed up and down excitedly, knowing Jim would instinctively understand. “That’s true. Dragon Master Simon Banks says it’ll just take time. He says I need to gain a little more weight and find a Sentinel to accelerate the shape shifting and that everything else would fall into place.”

Jim smiled inwardly when the tiny dragon nuzzled into his shoulder. Blair seemed to have already claimed him. Jim rubbed a soft, scaly neck. “Dragon Master Banks is a smart man.”

“So can I be your dragon?”

“Well, I don’t know. What have you to offer this partnership, if I do take you as my dragon?”

Blair pulled away slightly. “Hmm, I’m small. Like I said before, I don’t take up much room. I don’t eat much. Which I’ll change, that is, if you pick me as your dragon,” he added hastily, when he noticed Jim was going to comment. “I’ll help stabilize your senses when you’re out taking care of Cascade.” He gave him a shy look. “I’m cute as a rainbow after a summer rain, according to my mentor, Taggart, and I’ll be a right handsome man when I’m able to shift, also according to Taggart.” The tiny dragon moved closer to the Sentinel. “And if you choose me as your dragon, I’ll love you for ever and ever,” he said sweetly, nuzzling into Jim’s neck.

The Sentinel wrapped his arms around Blair. “Considering all that’s on offer, there’s only one thing to do.”

Blair moved even closer. “What?”

“Take you as my dragon.”

TBC