Simon knuckled his chin, as if he could stare the tower down. “Biegen might not have admitted to anything, but he pretty strongly hinted that the Toolmakers deal whatever Maria’s father was strung out on. The crowd around the firehouse said the firemen were hit with sleeping gas. One happenstance, twice coincidence – we’re not up to three times enemy action yet, and I’d rather it stayed that way. So. Thoughts on how to avoid any little drug tricks?”
“I have one.”
Malachy raised a brow. Ja’far’s stance was controlled, but to anyone who’d watched Simon for years, the magician might as well have shouted I’m going to hate myself for this.
Simon weighed that stance himself. Sighed, and rested both hands on his surprised friend’s shoulders with a resigned, mischievous smile. “Ja’far. Malachy breaks bones. Tiburon’s slit a few throats in his time. And you must think I’m thick as a brick wall if you think I haven’t noticed your part in keeping my shenanigans down to just twisting our local press into verbal pretzels, instead of, oh, actually starting a cult. If you think I’m going to be upset with you for using something shady you know to save lives, especially ours, think again. What do you need to do, and what do you need from us to do it?”
“I….” Ja’far stood stiff, where a less controlled man would have licked his lips in pure nerves. “I mentioned certain… aspects of the past that Aladdin and I have been able to restore.” A heartbeat’s pause. “Whatever poisons they use, I’m likely to be immune.”
“That’s fine for you,” Drakon started.
“This is where things get complicated,” Simon cut him off. “You’re not going in there on your own, Ja’far. Even if you probably would be able to leave them all dead before they knew you were there. I won’t let you take that burden on top of everything else. I won’t,” Simon repeated, when Ja’far started to object. Leaned in, and pressed his forehead to white-streaked brows, until the man gave up and breathed.
“I won’t,” Simon said again, softly, fingers kneading the magician’s shoulders. “We’re in this together. So if you don’t want my hands dirty, find another way. Because whatever we do, I will be right there with you.” He let go, and grinned. “Besides, Baal says Sei says you have another idea, and it sounds interesting.”
Crossover Queen's Creative Chaos 
It’s moments like these that make me suspect that Simon likes Ja’far as more than a friend (or best friend/general).
I don’t know if you ship Si/Ja but something tells me Simon’s fans do. Wonder if Ph. found some examples of that while exploring fanfics.
LikeLike
Eh, I’m flexible. I definitely think they’re BFF. Anything beyond that, depends on how well the fic is written. 😉
(And yes. Simon’s fans squealed in joy when they found the vid “Sinbad: Gay or European?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgSOHL6jjOI
Callimachus just wishes he could blot it out of his mind…)
LikeLiked by 1 person
That video was the most amazing thing I’ve seen in the past week. Almost died laughing. Lovely, thank you for linking.
I’m sure there are a loooooot of Simon fans who ship it. I go back and forth on whether I ship it, and I really love the way you portray their relationship. Very, very close. Very important to each other. If they’re romantically involved, that’s still not the defining point of their relationship.
It kind of says it all that Ja’far would do anything to keep Simon’s hands clean, and Simon isn’t resentful of that, merely insists that he stay by Ja’far’s side. I just love their interactions in your fic. Really close, tactile relationships are my jam, especially when they’re at least as likely to be platonic as romantic.
LikeLike
Thanks! I have that vid on my list of “need cheering up” stuff. Because ridiculous works. 🙂
Simon’s opinion is, “Okay, so you think I made horrible mistakes in my last life? Fine. Then they’re mistakes no matter who does them. We’re in this together.”
And IMHO, there are just not enough good, healthy tactile relationships depicted in fiction. So I’m doing my best to add a few. 🙂
LikeLike
Cracked up at that song. Unforgettable. Unbelievable. Any other interesting… material… to toss out?
LikeLike
Try just about any vid by PinkSweetLady.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbGiU_-IPhk
This one is really sweet, and can be taken as pure platonic BFF. Or otherwise. 😉
LikeLike
I have brothers, and male cousins who might as well be my brothers. And I see no reason for it to be a romantic ship between Ja’far and Simon/Sinbad. No reason *not* to ship them, but I don’t see signs of romance automatically either. When my very ace friend is the most touchy feely person I know, it kinda desensitizes me to ‘touch/closeness = romance.’
Also, Ja’far does not have a cast iron skillet and does have two lifetimes of being the Zoro to Sinbad’s Luffy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*Nod* Exactly. Sinbad and Ja’far trust each other. Given how many people have canonically tried to kill the both of them over the years, knowing that there’s someone you are totally safe with means you can relax. And get some sleep. As in the horizontal unconsciousness state in the bed, sometimes including snoring.
Sleep is highly underrated. Highly.
(Which is why my bunnies say, “if it’s a well-written ship fic, sure why not. Otherwise, let ’em just be BFFs.”)
Simon hasn’t had quite as many people out to kill him, yet. But given the kind of character assassination that can go on in Hollywood, having someone you can trust is no less necessary to sanity!
…I would not put it past Ja’far to get a skillet. Though he might leave that to Shionne in this life. 😉
LikeLike
Trust me, I understand tactile but non-sexual relationships. I get all-up in my parents’ or sister’s (especially my dad’s) space.
However, I’ demisexual.
Demisexuality is defined as a sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond.
Ja’far and Simon’s relationship fills that criteria for me. I’m probably just projecting, but if I was in Ja’far’s place (sorry, Simon, but he’s my fave), I’d be romantically attracted to Simon.
On an unrelated note, love your work. Tried to get my mom to read Net of Dawn and Bones. She’s only about halfway through it, but I read it twice before handing it over. Probably going to read it again over break. Can’t wait for River of Stars, Princess Rama, or Count Taka. Let us know when the last two are published (because they will be)!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have an artist lined up for Count Taka, and I’m working the kinks out of the last battlescene and clean-up. Hoping to have that one ready to publish in just a few months. 🙂 I’ll definitely post up on the blog when it is!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I completely understand tactile but nonsexual relationships. I get all up in my parents’ (eapecially my dad’s) and sister’s space all the time.
However, I’m demisexual.
Demisexuality is define as a sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. Maybe I’m projecting on Simon and Ja’far’s relationship, but hey. That’s what’s so great about writing. Open interpretation.
LikeLiked by 1 person
*G* “Asexual pirates are not interested in your booty.”
AKA Yes, I’m familiar with the asexuality flag and the various gray-shades. 🙂 Designed a pair of earrings for that once, but I think I made ’em too busy. Will have to revisit the concept.
Honestly, my impression of that pair is Sinbad: “Attractive ladies! This is fun!”
Ja’far: “So… much… paperwork… where can I find some assassins to work off my frustrations on….”
It may be just because it’s a shonen manga, but so far as I know we never see Sinbad taking any of those ladies home. Partying with, yes – everyone expects an unmarried king to do that. Which leaves things open to interpretation – even to the possible interpretation that Sinbad is completely ace and faking it. 😉 Not likely, maybe, but possible….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whoa. I can’t convince myself to make it my actual headcanon, but as an ace person myself I love the mere idea of ace!Sinbad being uninterested in the people and just faking it. Someone needs to write that fic… may possibly be me if I ever write for the Magi fandom… Thank you for that image. 🙂
(And I will have to check out this other video you linked…)
LikeLike
It would make a fun AU, wouldn’t it? 🙂
LikeLike
Panaesthetic ace everything else, possibly…. (Okay, now I’m the one who’s projecting.)
LikeLike
Ah, but it’s fun to wonder about. 😉
LikeLike
Panaesthetic, ace everything else, possibly…. (Okay, now I’m the one who’s projecting.)
LikeLike
Oh, and you might like this fic!
http://archiveofourown.org/works/5627962
be there if i fall
by babybirdblues
Gender confusion and wingfic!
LikeLike
I have the feeling the Djinn of Wrath and Heroes idea of interesting is interesting in the ancient Chinese curse sort of way. Okay, that was unfair. That is probably MOST Djinns’ and associated familiar spirits’ idea of interesting. And to be fair, deep down, it often their human companions too. Alan might not like fighting or killing but as established, he loves trouble. Even if all Alan does is talk the trouble out of it, he still gets to take his metaphorical gloves off and let loose for a while. Same applies for Simon.
❤ Simon and Ja'far. Regardless of how you view it*, Simon is definitely Ja'far's most important person. Simon (and Sinbad before everything went horribly wrong) knows it and treats that like the precious gift that it is. Yay for doing your best to avoid killing anyone you don't have to.
Ja'far is probably aware enough to know to that one day, he might not be able to protect Simon from taking someone else's life. If they keep getting into fights with serious bad guys like this, no matter how careful they are, eventually someone is going to get killed.
*I'm on the side of good writing, healthy relationships, and no bigotry. The character isn't in a gay relationship because they simply don't swing that way, not because the writer is a bigot who says absolutely no non-hetero people in my story! They can write those stories but I refuse to read them. *gets off soapbox*
LikeLike
Oh, Ja’far’s solution is interesting. If kind of unnerving to poor Domingo….
Alan does love trouble, poor guy. Loving it’s a lot easier when you have more resources to squash it!
I love the concept of “most precious person”. Because it lacks some of the sexual overtones “beloved” has unfortunately accumulated.
And oof. Yes, Ja’far knows because of who and what they are, they run a high risk of ending up in life or death choice situations. What he wants is to be sure Simon never ends up despairing, as Sinbad once did. So he’s trying to get support around Simon early – and once he gets past the sheer panic, he’s going to be incredibly glad to see Alibaba’s reincarnation crop up, because Alibaba had a way of pulling life out of death when no one expected it to be an option!
I tend to go for “urban fantasy” over “paranormal romance” when writing. 🙂 As in, I tend to leave sex out (and I mean any variety of sex) unless it’s important to the story. Being nearly eaten by slimy monsters has a way of focusing your attention….
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s probably wrong of me to be amused by poor Domingo’s plight. I don’t know his increasing realization that just when he thinks he knows just how guano crazy these guys are, they show they are even more guano crazy. And whatever it is contagious because their guano crazy actually sounds sensible and reasonable to him. There’s something about these lunatics that he trusts implicitly. Even or maybe especially when they sound crazy.
The most precious person is one of my favorites too. 🙂
Yes, monsters and surviving them first, other survival concerns next, everything else when you are alive, safe, and have time/energy to deal with it. It is always good to have your priorities in appropriate order.
I’ve notice that my own writing tends toward not writing the knocking of boots parts and focusing on the other parts of relationships like love, trust, affection, etc. And only in the stuff that focused on that part of their lives. The characters have sex – some of them anyway – but I don’t watch them or display it on stage. If said characters are monster hunters, when they are hunting the monster, they keep their attention on thing trying to eat them and not on who is sleeping (or not) with whom. The people who don’t have their priorities in the right order get eaten.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not getting eaten is a good thing, yes.
And you should feel at least a little sorry for Domingo. *Wry G* At one point Yunan is going to help.
…You try explaining to your boss why you’re dressed like an ancient Persian warrior in the middle of a crime scene….
LikeLike
Well, he might get lucky. Ish. His boss might be one of the ones on the take, and get included in the beat down. And if he scrambles, he might be able to get to Florida fast enough to beat the rumors. (Hey, there’s Djinn and magi involved, it could happen.) So long as it’s only an ancient Persian warrior and not suddenly becoming half dragon again, he might be ok.
It would make the next performance review a bit awkward though.
LikeLike
*SNRK*
I have a plan for Drakon’s boss. It’s a bit happier outcome than that. Though just as hair-raising. 😉
LikeLike