Mornings

Sinbad awoke with his nose nestled among a small pile of brown hair and his arms around a small body. He pulled his head away from the hair and stretched out his back before relaxing again and blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He took in the person that the brown hair was attached to and smiled, remembering the night before.

Jim, the newest member to his crew, slept soundly beside him as the morning light came through the window of his ship. He nuzzled the back of the boy's neck, loving the soft noise the boy made before going silent again. He kissed softly along the boy's cheekbone and jawline, pulling Jim closer to him. He loved how pliable the boy was, when he was usually so wild that Sinbad couldn't hold him for more than a few mere seconds.

For the few months that Jim had been aboard the Chimera, the two had not gotten along at first. They had butted heads and fought on a daily basis. Then after spending some time, lost together in a jungle, the two had begun to see a different side to one another. They fought less and began tiptoeing around each other. Finally after going to see Sinbad's friend Proteus and Proteus' wife, Marina – to congratulate them on their first child – Proteus and Marina had talked some sense into the two. That night had been emotional and filled with unforgettable memories.

"Jim, time to wake up," he said quietly, coaxing the boy out of his dreams.

Jim let out a soft groan, rolling towards Sinbad, and curling into the pirates chest. "'s too early," he slurred, trying to go back to sleep.

Sinbad chuckled and lightly ran his fingers up the boy's side, tickling him.

"Stop," groaned Jim, furrowing his brow and wiggling away from Sinbad.

"Come on we gotta get up," replied Sinbad, jumping out of bed in nothing but his birthday suit. "If you don't, you'll miss breakfast."

Sinbad waited for a response but got none and sighed exaggeratedly, before smiling devilishly. Since his nice, cuddly way of waking up didn't work on the boy, he'd try a different approach. He gripped the bed covers tightly and yanked them off the bed completely in one swoop.

Jim instantly sat up, looking for something to cover himself with. He too was as naked as the day he was born and quickly covered himself up as best he could with his hands. He glared up at Sinbad, who was laughing at his reaction.

"Still a bit shy, are we?" Sinbad teased.

Jim's cheeks took on a nice shade a pink as he tried to snatch the covers back from Sinbad. "No, I just don't want you to feel like you have to iron anything," he replied.

"Are you calling me old?" Sinbad asked, throwing the covers out of Jim's reach, and pinning the boy to the bed. "If I'm old then you must be nothing but a pup."

Jim glared at the pirate, struggling against his hold. "I'm nineteen."

"And I'm twenty-five." Sinbad bent down and pecked Jim on the lips. "Good morning," he said with a smile.

Jim laughed and sat up as Sinbad released him, "Good morning."

"Now get dressed, so we can get some breakfast," said Sinbad, pulling on a pair of his pants. "And if you don't, I'm gonna have to ravage that body."

Jim blushed when Sinbad's voice dropped to a low octave and quickly pulled on his own clothes.

"Darn, I was really hoping to get some of you," whined the pirate in mock disappointment.

"Unlike you, I like a bit of sustenance to keep me going so I can take and give it hard," replied Jim with a wink, leaving the pirate dumbfounded as the boy walked out of the captain's cabin.

This was how each day usually began on the Chimera for Sinbad and Jim. They would exchange loving touches, banter and tease, and playfully challenge each other. This was their mornings.