I Won't Bite .. That Much ..

Sinbad walked into the room, leaving the door wide open as he looked around. There wasn't a lot there, but it was enough for him considering he was used to a lot less while exploring new places.
He didn't know how long he'd been out in that jungle after his time in the oasis, all he knew was that he wasn't that much closer to getting out of this mess and that frustrated him.

At least I have some idea of what's lurking around here .. and I guess it's not so bad if we have some luxuries .. he thought as he glanced into the bathroom. He looked back to the open door of the room to see if anyone had appeared, I guess a bath wouldn't hurt after the trek I've had ..

He walked into the bathroom and started running the water, he stared at it for a while before sighing. He walked back into the bedroom and stood beside one of the beds. Reaching behind him he pulled out his dagger and started playing with it absent-mindedly as he looked around the room for a place to hide it while he was busy. Eventually he gave up and just tossed it on the bed, casually throwing his clothes over the top of it as he took them off before heading back into the bathroom.

Once he was finished he walked into the bedroom again and, despite still being wet, he pulled on his pants. He stretched his arms above his head before running a hand through his wet hair, wondering what he should do now.

After Ping had found Jim in the forest he had followed him to the tree. Here Ping had showed him where he could get some food and later on find the list with the overview over the rooms. After that Ping had left him and now Jim wandered around in the big tree on his own. He went through the library and living room before he finally came to a place that looked like a hallway of some sort. Jim felt quite uneasy as he walked around in the tree, unsure of whether or not he should try to open any of the doors to see where they led. Maybe that goddess Ping had told him about was watching their every move. As far as Jim knew this whole place belonged to that goddess so it was better to be a bit careful until he found out what was really going on around here.

As Jim walked down the hall he noticed that one of the doors were open. He walked closer to the open door and silently peaked in. Inside he saw two beds and a night stand with a lamp on it. There was also another door, but Jim had no idea where that led to. He wondered if that was what the rooms he was looking for looked like. On the list he had seen he should be in room 5, but before he had a chance to see if this was the right room or not, a man walked into the room. He was naked and wet which made Jim think that there was probably a bathroom behind that other door.
Jim stared at the man for a little while before he decided that he had to get away from there without getting noticed. His heart started racing as he slowly backed away from the door. He did his best not to make a sound but clumsy as he was he stepped on his own foot which caused him to fall backwards and hit the floor with a loud noise.

Sinbad's attention shifted when he heard a sudden noise nearby, reaching under his shirt which was still on the bed, he picked up his dagger and walked towards the open door, ready to defend himself if whatever made that noise happened to be a threat to him. But as soon as he saw a kid laying on the floor he relaxed and lowered the knife.

I wonder how long he's been here, he thought as he stood over him.

'See something you like?' he said eventually and smirked down at him as the water from his body started to slowly drip onto the kid below him.

Jim froze when he saw the man from the room walking his way. He didn't know what to do, and before he could make up his mind, the man was standing over him. Jim looked up at the man and gulped.
"I didn't..." Jim started out, but as he spoke his words turned into a mumble. He tried to clear his throat and start over.
"I didn't mean to... I didn't know there would be anyone in there," he said with a shaking voice. He slowly tried to crawl backward.

'Hey, it's none of my business if you get off sneaking around and watching other guys from the shadows,' Sinbad said and shrugged lightly as he looked up and down the corridor to see if anyone else was around. Once he was satisfied that they were alone he looked back down at him and couldn't help but laugh a little at the way he was acting.
'Hey kid, I don't bite ..' he started, then he remembered the knife he still had in his hand and wondered if that was what was intimidating him. He quickly stuck the blade into the door and held out a hand to him, 'do you plan on spending all day admiring me from down there?' he said with a sly wink.

'Get off... to you? As if,' Jim thought to himself.
Jim gulped as he watched the man look around. He instinctively felt after his pocket knife, just to be safe. He got tense as he realized he couldn't feel it in his pocket. He must have dropped it somewhere in the forest.
He looked surprised at the man when he stuck his blade into the door. For a while Jim switched between looking at the man's face and the hand he held out, while he considered if he should accept his help. He heard the man's comment and noticed the wink. 'What a jerk,' he thought to himself and snorted. Then he put a hand against the floor to lift himself up from the ground.
"I can take care of myself just fine," he said in a more controlled voice than before while he avoided eye contact.

'Suit yourself ..' he said and shrugged, looking back down the empty corridor for a moment, still alone, huh?

Sinbad turned his attention back to the kid as he spoke, let's see about that, shall we? he thought, smirking slightly when he noticed him avoiding his gaze.

Suddenly Sinbad grabbed the kids shoulders and pushed him up against the wall behind him. He stared into his eyes, his palms resting against the wall at either side of him as he wondered just how much fight the kid really had in him.

After a while, Sinbad moved his face closer to his, inch by inch, barely missing his lips as he tilted his head to whisper in his ear, 'so tell me .. what were you really doing sneaking around in the shadows?'

Jim screamed out in surprise as he was pushed up against the wall. "Hey, what are you.." he shouted at the man in front of him. He finished his sentence in a lower, slightly nervous voice, ".. d-doing?"
He turned his head slightly to look at the man's arm next to his head. Then he looked back at the man's face again, stared at him, unsure about what exactly was going on.
His body got tense as he watched the man moving closer. He pressed the back of his head as close against the wall as possible.
Jim stared into the air as he listened to what the man whispered in his ear. "Nothing," he said eventually to avoid the subject and pushed the man's face away. "Just let me go already," he said as he turned his body slightly. Even though he didn't believe it would happen, he hoped the man would move his arm so he could leave.

When he pushed his face away, Sinbad simply moved his body closer to his, 'nothing, huh? And I guess you were doing nothing when you were staring for as long as you did, right?'

Sinbad couldn't help but laugh when he told him to let him go, 'not very demanding are we? If I didn't know any better I'd think you actually liked it here in my arms ..' he stopped for a while and reached one hand out to grab his chin and force him to face him again, 'but if you really want me to let you go, then you're going to have to make me,' he said, a challenging look in his eyes as he kept one hand firmly on the wall. The other still holding his chin, his thumb grazing his bottom lip for just a moment as he waited for his reaction.

Jim stared angrily into the man's eyes. It seemed like he would really have to fight his way out of this one, but from the looks of it the man was pretty strong. Jim knew very well that he wouldn't stand a chance in an open fist fight with him. For a moment Jim's gaze fell upon the wall behind the man. He could see the man's blade sticking out from the door. If he could just get a hold of that, then maybe he'd have a chance. He turned his gaze upon the man again and stared into his eyes while he considered what to do.
Jim shook his head to break loose from the man's grip before he made a run for the blade.

Seeing the anger in the kids eyes lit a spark in his own and he couldn't help but smile. There was definitely something in this kid that he couldn't deny .. something he had no doubt that he wanted to know more about.

When he ran from him Sinbad laughed out loud, this was turning out to be a lot more fun than I had first thought .. He was either running to another room or, more dangerously, to the knife he had left in the door. Sinbad turned around slowly to see exactly what choice he had made and how much more fun he could have with him ..

When Jim reached the door he grabbed the shaft of the knife and pulled the blade out of the door. He immediately turned around, holding the knife in front of him with the blade pointing towards Sinbad.
The man's laugh frustrated him. Jim didn't understand him at all, why would he laugh in this situation?

Sinbad faced him again and seeing what decision he had made, he began to walk towards him until the point of the blade was digging lightly into his skin.

'You chose this ..' Sinbad said, a serious look in his eyes now as he nodded down at the knife which was still pointing to his chest, 'now let's see if you're man enough to use it ..'

Jim stared at the man in front of him. What was wrong with him? Why would he purposefully place himself so it was so easy for Jim to if not kill him then at least wound him.
"I-I warn you," Jim started out, trying his best to sound confident, "I'll really cut you if you don't step away."

Sinbad watched him as he spoke, he noticed the slight stammer in his voice but kept a straight face this time.
Suddenly he grabbed his wrist and pulled it towards him, the knife sharply digging a little further into his skin. He winced a little from the pain but recovered within a few seconds.
He continued to hold his gaze as a few drops of blood slowly slid down his chest, 'I dare you.'

Jim looked shocked at the man as he grabbed his wrist and made him dig the blade into his skin. Was he serious?
Jim gulped and took a tighter grip around the shaft as he stared at the place the blade touched the man's skin. Eventually he turned his gaze upon his face. The man looked so serious and confident as he stood there before him.
A part of him wanted to push the blade through, just to show that he could do it. To show that he wasn't scared. But he was. He just couldn't get himself to do it. As he realized that, he let go of the knife and let it fall to the ground.
He looked down; he couldn't look the man in the eyes. He wanted to say something, but he didn't know what.

Sinbad watched as the knife fell to the floor, 'I knew it .. you really are nothing but a kid,' he said, a little disappointed as he watched him stare down at the floor. He bent down to pick up his knife, wiping the tip of the blade on his pant leg. But as he stood up, he pushed him into the door behind him, pinning him there with his arm leaning into his chest.

'Don't make threats you can't keep,' he said quietly as he let the blade hover over his neck, as if contemplating whether or not to slit his throat right there, 'and especially don't let your guard down ..' he continued after a few minutes before releasing his grip and taking a step backwards, '.. that's how you get yourself killed.'

Jim tried to keep his breathing under control as he stared at the knife so close to his neck, but his breathing got heavier and he could feel his heart racing.
When the man let go of him, he sighed relieved, even though a part of him thought it wasn't over just yet. But at least he didn't have the knife against his neck anymore.
He looked at the man for a while. His heart was still racing from before. "What do you want from me?" he asked timidly as he watched the man carefully.

Sinbad laughed at his question as he turned away and walked further into the room, placing his knife on the nightstand. It was safe to assume the kid wouldn't try anything else after what had just happened, so he left it where he could see it so as to remind him who was in control here.

'Don't you think the better question is, what are you still doing here?' he asked as he looked back at him, genuinely curious as to why he hadn't run away as soon as he removed the blade from his neck.

Without even thinking about it, Jim took a few steps in the man's direction, entering the room. He looked at the knife as the man placed it on the nightstand, then back at the man again.
Jim was a little put off by his question. He hadn't even considered running away when the man had let go of him. The thought hadn't crossed his mind.
"Uhm, I..." Jim started while he nervously rubbed his arm with his hand. "I don't know," he replied honestly. He really had no idea why he hadn't run away when he had the chance. Why he still wasn't running even though he could.

Sinbad watched as he walked further into the room, that makes him either really brave or just really really stupid, he thought for a moment as he made his way into the bathroom.

'Is it the same reason as why you were staring in here in the first place?' he called back as he washed the small drops of blood from his chest.

Jim walked a bit back and forth while exploring the room.
He turned his head towards the bathroom when he heard the man's voice.
"I was really just looking for my own room and then I noticed the open door. I just wanted to see what was in here," he said, trying to defend himself.
"But I should probably try to find my own room now," he mumbled to himself as he started walking towards the door that led to the hallway.

Sinbad started laughing as he tried to explain, 'ok, ok I believe you,' he called back before walking into the bedroom, he stopped when he saw him start to walk out of the room.

'Hey, what's the rush?' he said as he grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into the room, closing the door behind him. Sinbad pushed him back gently against the door, resting his free palm against it just beside his head like before as he loosened his grip on his wrist, 'after all .. I don't even know your name ..'

Jim looked the man in the eyes for a moment before he looked away.
"It's Jim," he said in a low voice.
He should have left when he had the chance. Now he was trapped again.

'Jim, huh?' he muttered to himself as he moved his free hand to grab Jim's other wrist and pinned them both up against the door above his head. He moved down to his neck again, lightly brushing his lips across it this time instead of his knife before moving up to whisper in his ear once again, 'well Jim, I bet now you're wishing more than ever that you'd run away from me when you had the chance ..'