He was thinking about it again; a lot more than he should and it was starting to show. Either that or Jafar was simply too good at reading him. The fact that even Masrur had been sending him amused glances lately wasn't helping…..at all. He was a confident person and he believed in himself and his abilities. Sometimes too much as Jafar would probably say. And being a male, pride was something he had in considerable amounts. This…..situation was certainly a thorn in his side. And damn, it hurt. Such a blow to his ego…..And it was all her fault! That…that…hellcat! Dear Solomon, a she-devil she was. A she-devil in the form of an exotic pink-haired beauty with emerald eyes and a smile so innocent it was almost wicked….And he liked it. Gods, he really liked it.

They had found her wandering the harbor of Sindria after having smuggled her way there on one of the merchant ships. It hadn't been that hard, really. With the pink hair and the peculiar attire, she stood out like a sore thumb. It was by pure coincidence that he had bumped into her in the first place. He couldn't remember ever meeting anyone with her looks and her clothing reminded him of none of the clothes worn in any of the countries he had visited. Fortunately, they spoke the same language and despite her slightly strange accent, she had managed to explain how she had gotten on that ship as they walked around the harbor. Searching for an adventure, she had said, and a chance at a brighter future.

He hadn't believed her fully then and he still had his doubts but he wasn't one to ignore someone in need, especially a damsel in distress. And so he had asked her to accompany him to the palace in order to offer her a proper meal and maybe find a way to help her. Her blushing cheeks and stammering apologies after finding out that he was in truth the King of Sindria still put an amused smile on his face. At the time, he had only known her name and her background had been a complete mystery but for her story of how she had landed herself in Sindria. And yet….Call it curiosity or kindness or intuition or maybe the years had clouded his better judgment but the sincere and earnest look in her stunning emerald eyes had him smiling down at her and making japes as if they were old friends.

Aladdin had taken an instant liking to her, calling her 'Sakura-onee-chan' since day one. Yamraiha and Hinahoho were no different. The female magician had been so glad to have another female her age around that she had immediately tried to make Sakura feel more comfortable by giving her a new set of clothes more appropriate for Sindria's weather and even offered to let the rosette live with her for the duration of her stay. As for Hinahoho, it was no secret that the Imuchakk warrior had a soft spot for kids and it so happened that petite in size and cute of face as she was, Sakura reminded him so much of his own daughter that it was impossible for him not to like her. It wasn't difficult to grow on Sharrkan either. The swordsman simply loved to tease her even though some of his more vulgar comments more often than not earned him a bruised cheek or back much to Yamraiha's delight.

It hadn't taken long for them to get used to having her around and her presence was a breath of fresh air in Sindria. It was an additional bonus that she was helping Masrur train Morgiana. Sinbad could still remember that he had been doubtful when she told him that she was a warrior of her land and he regretted to say that he hadn't had much faith in her abilities. Until she demonstrated that is. 'Remind me to never offer to be her sparring partner….ever…..' Needless to say that the ugly bruise on his cheek, the four broken ribs and the many craters littering the forest floor had definitely changed his mind. She had even healed him afterwards but not before letting him suffer a while longer for underestimating her. Payback at its best.

Despite everything (or maybe because of it), he had certainly grown to respect and appreciate her presence. Even Jafar who was usually a bit mistrusting towards strangers-especially those they knew next to nothing about-had definitely warmed up to her and even began to enjoy her wit. She had surprised them rather pleasantly with her wide knowledge of politics and rather diplomatic thinking.

But alas, all these thoughts on her did little to solve his problem. If anything they only made it worse. How could it be? Was he really losing his touch? Was he getting…..old? Nonsense! At age 30 he could hardly be considered old and definitely not out of shape if the female population of…well, any country really, had anything to say on the matter. Then why wasn't she-

"Sin? Is something wrong?"

"It doesn't matter."

"If it didn't really matter you wouldn't be spending so much time thinking about it."

"I'm not thinking about anything."

"Sin, you've been reading the same file for the past half hour."

Sinbad looked down at the piece of paper in his hands. He didn't even know what it was about and he realized that he didn't really care either. Sighing heavily, he fell back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. God, he was tired…

"Jafar, can I ask you a question?"

The man looked up at his King in surprise. Sinbad wasn't one to ask for permission to….well, to do anything really. "Of course."

"Am I…..Am I getting….old?"

Jafar's eyes shone with an amused glint as he glanced at Sinbad. Rare were the times that Sinbad would doubt himself in any way. And right now, there was only one person in Sindria that could reduce the King of the Seven Seas to a self-doubting man…

"Ah, so this has to do with Sakura…"

Sinbad scoffed. "Of course not. Why would it have to do with Sakura?"

Jafar sent him an 'are-you-seriously-trying-to-fool-me' look before shrugging, all the while trying to hide his amused smile. "Is that so? In that case I don't see why you should be concerned about a matter such as this. But to answer your question, the years do pass by and you are not getting any younger."

The purple-haired man grunted in irritation. "Thank you for stating the obvious."

"Oh? Wasn't my answer to your liking?"

Sinbad simply remained silent, his golden eyes trained on the ceiling. It was silent for a while but the King of Sindria could almost smell the amusement radiating off of his right-hand man. It only served to make his mood sourer than it already was. Dear Solomon, look at what a great King he was…..Wasting precious time mulling over a matter that shouldn't have been bothering him in the first place. But damn….It was bothering him….Especially since it was her they were talking about….

"What did she do this time?"

"Sakura didn't do anything-"

"So it does concern Sakura."

"I just said that it doesn't."

"I never specified who I was referring to and she was the first person to come to your mind. I am no fool, Sin."

Sinbad groaned as he realized his slip up and brought his fingers up to rub his temples in order to avoid an upcoming headache.

"She rejected you once more, didn't she?"

The tense shoulders and the warning glare sent his way was all the answer Jafar needed. He sighed heavily. Sometimes he really wondered how the purple-haired man before had come to become one of the most respected and admired of Kings.

"I guess it can't be helped" started Jafar "It was high time you got rejected for once."

Sinbad glared at him. "Don't push it."

"I just can't see why this matter is so important to you. You've been obsessing over it since she shot you down the first time."

"I'm not obsessing over it! I'm just….curious!" replied Sinbad with a shrug of his shoulders while trying to seem indifferent. Key word: trying. Judging by the tense muscles and the clenched teeth, it was more than obvious that he was anything but indifferent.

Jafar fought down the urge to slap his forehead in indignation. In his opinion the matter was a waste of precious time and childish at best. But it seemed that it was of some importance to Sinbad and he had to admit that he could see why. It was as clear as day that the King of Sindria was popular among the female population of….well, the world, actually. More than popular if he were to be precise. He was used to women throwing themselves at his feet and it was on more than one occasion that he had used his charm to get himself out of difficult and occasionally life-threatening situations. As far as the white-haired man knew no woman had ever been able to resist the purple-haired male's undeniable charm. Until the day Sakura entered their lives that is.

Sinbad was a laid back and fun-loving person by nature and it didn't take long for him to grow on Sakura. Obviously the feeling was mutual. Sinbad was the first person Sakura got to meet after setting foot in Sindria and even spent a number of days being shown around by him before she moved in with Yamraiha. The King grew to respect her wit and amazing strength and considered her one of his friends and Sindria's ally. It was only natural for him to start flirting with her after getting to know her better. Some harmless flirting never hurt anyone after all. That was until she shot him down.

To say that it had been a blow to Sinbad's ego would be an understatement. The man was so used to sweeping women of their feet with just a glance that Jafar doubted that the possibility of rejection had ever crossed his mind. If he wanted to be honest, the image of the shocked expression on his King's face after being rejected by the 25-year-old woman never ceased to amuse him greatly.

But Sinbad was stubborn and never backed down from a challenge. So, he tried to hit on her again. Only to be shot down…again…and again….and again. No matter how many times he had tried the result never changed. To think that being rejected by a woman would lead to the King of the Seven Seas acting like a hormonal teenager….

"To think that she blushes when Sharrkan hits on her….."

Jafar was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of Sinbad mumbling something under his breath with his arms crossed stubbornly across his chest.

"My, my…. Are you jealous, Sin?"

The man scoffed. "Of course not. Why would I be jealous?"

"Probably because Sakura obviously prefers Sharrkan's company to yours."

"Do you have to be so blunt about everything?"

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it. Sharrkan is quite popular among females himself. It doesn't surprise me though. He is a good looking man after all-"

"Gods, you are killing me here!"

"-and young. Younger than you at least."

The silence that followed was one that promised pain and suffering. Jafar found himself rather enjoying it. Add to that the murderous look on Sinbad's face…..Yep, this was one good day.

"Jafar?" His voice come out in a growl.

"Yes?"

"Shut..up…"

Jafar merely smirked.

XxxOxOxOxxX

By the time Sinbad finally managed to convince Jafar not to bother him with any more paperwork, the sun had already disappeared. But the night was still young and the cool breeze brushing his cheeks and blowing through his hair was refreshing. Sinbad closed his eyes, savoring the feeling and the tranquility of the cool night. It was on nights like this when the temperature wasn't so high and the wind was blowing that he liked to take walks through the streets of Sindria. He liked the feeling of being among his people and the smiles on their faces as they greeted him made the numerous hours spent inside the palace filling paperwork and discussing with foreign diplomats well worth it. Knowing that it was through the hard work of his Generals and himself that these people were happy was all the reward he needed.

He smiled at the people that greeted him as he passed by. The market was still open and most Sindrians were still on the streets sharing drink and laughing at jokes. That image of his people smiling and laughing to their hearts' content was one that he would strive to never see disturbed….

"Do it again Sakura-onee-chan!"

He was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of a kid's excited voice. He followed the sound of the voice and raised his eyes to be met with a sight that both made him smile and warmed his heart. Standing there with a wide grin on her face and a flower tucked behind her ear was Sakura with a dozen excited kids crowding around her, watching her with amazed eyes. The fires lighting the streets bathed her form in a red glow making her hair seem darker and her emerald eyes sparkle. 'Beautiful…..'

"Ok, ok! One more time!" She laughed mirthfully and ruffled the little boy's hair. She did a couple of weird hand signs before bringing her fingers to her lips and blowing fire from her mouth and into the air. The children gasped in amazement before erupting in cheers. Shouts of 'Sakura-onee-chan' and 'cool' filled the air as the kids jumped around her in excitement.

"Ok, little ones! The show's over for tonight! I promise I'll be here tomorrow night. Now, off you go before your parents grow worried."

"Goodnight Sakura-onee-chan! See you tomorrow!"

"Goodnight!"

The smile on Sinbad's face never faltered as he approached the pink-haired woman.

"They like you very much."

Sakura looked up at him startled. "King Sinbad! I didn't notice you standing there."

"Just what my male ego needed to hear."

The woman laughed. "Between you and me, you of all people don't need any more of an ego boost."

"Ouch. You wound me."

"I'm sure you'll live."

"Walk with me, Sakura." He could see that the request surprised her but she smiled and began to walk beside him.

They walked in comfortable silence, arms almost brushing each other until they got to a higher part of Sindria overlooking the market and the people coming and going. They came to stand at the edge of a rooftop, two pairs of eyes trained on the lights bellow. The beauty of Sindria was laid before their eyes. Sakura had a content smile on her face, something that didn't go unnoticed by Sinbad who was watching her in the corner of his eye. She had changed, he could tell. She wasn't the same person he had found wandering Sindria's harbor all those months ago. This Sakura was more open to others, she didn't hide her smile anymore, she was happy…Knowing that he had contributed to that change made him feel warm inside…..Content…..

"A lovely sight, isn't it?" she inquired and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"It is indeed." answered Sinbad and smiled. "But not as lovely as you fair lady."

Sakura merely shook her head but the small grin remained on her face. "You never give up, do you?"

"Never. Especially when you are concerned."

"You know that hitting on me will get you nowhere, right?"

"I'm not hitting on you."

"No?" she asked with interest and a bit of disbelief swimming in her sparkling eyes.

'Damn, those eyes…..' "Believe me you would know if I were hitting on you."

"Oh? How so?"

"You wouldn't be able to keep yourself from falling for my irresistible charm." said Sinbad with a smirk on his face that would have sent a lesser woman to her knees. But since this was Sakura, it had little to no effect. A visible one, at least.

"Cocky, aren't we?"

"I prefer the term 'self-aware."

The smile on Sinbad's face widened when Sakura threw her head back and laughed. It was a ringing laughter, music to his ears that for some reason made him think of the sea. He loved the sea….

"What am I going to do with you, Sinbad?" This familiarity between them pleased him more than he cared to admit. Being addressed by her as a King sounded….wrong. When he was with her he wasn't the King of the Seven Seas. He was just Sinbad…

"I have a few suggestions but this hardly seems like the appropriate place."

"My, my…..That sounded almost practiced my King. How many girls have you swept off their feet with that line?"

"There is only one woman I want to sweep off her feet. The question is: is it working?" he sent her a predatory smirk and it was with great satisfaction that he noted the small blush on her cheeks. She didn't answer him and kept her eyes somewhere in the distance. It took her a few minutes to speak but when she did, it was as if all of Sinbad's senses came alive. The look in her eyes was different, her whole demeanor was different as she approached him with slow steps. He tried not to let his eyes linger too long on the slightly more-noticeable-than-usual sway of her hips. Suddenly, he felt as if the tables had turned. Right now he was the prey and she was the hunter….

She came up to him and snaked her arms around his neck taking him completely by surprise. She brought her face closer to his with her cheek touching his own almost like the soft caress of a feather. 'Gods, does she even realize what she is doing to me?' The feeling of her lithe body pressed up against his like that was making his senses run wild. 'No woman has ever made me feel this way before…..' It was all he could do to keep himself from grabbing her right then and there and-

"Want me to tell you a secret?" Her hot breath caressing his skin made a shiver run down his spine as she whispered in his ear, her voice low and seductive.

"By all means" he whispered back, his own voice husky and clouded with something that he didn't want to think about right now. "Do so."

Her arms tightened around his neck, her slender fingers playing with the hair at the base of his neck and massaging his scalp. He couldn't keep a groan of pleasure from escaping his lips. He could almost feel her smirk against his cheek. 'She's playing me…..But God damn it, I love it…Dear Solomon, what is this woman doing to me?'

"I've always been a woman of action and I'd much rather have a man show me than tell me. I never was any good with words myself. I don't know how to work my tongue all that well…But my hands are a completely different story Sinbad-sama…" The way she practically purred those words in his ear made his heart stop and the innuendo behind her words did little to help. Blood was pounding in his ears and he was sure that the whole of Sindria could hear his heart thundering in his chest. 'My name….Oh Gods, the way she says my name…I want to hear her say it again…...I want to hear her scream it…..'

Sinbad didn't even register when Sakura released her hold on him or when she placed a feather soft kiss on his cheek before walking away, leaving him standing there with a shocked expression on his face but the lack of her warmth became immediately noticeable. It was however another kind of warmth that remained….It flowed through him like the waves of the sea. It made his fingertips tingle and left him in a daze. 'What is this feeling….' He didn't know what it was or if he was ready to accept what it was and the changes it would bring along but one thing was for sure…He never wanted it to end…

Jafar was the one to find him standing there with a wide grin on his face a few minutes later.

"Sin? Is something the matter?"

'That woman is going to be the death of me…But I'll worry about that later. Right now she needs to be taught a lesson…' he thought, his grin quickly turning into an excited, predatory smirk.

"Jafar?"

"Yes Sin?"

"I am not to be disturbed for the next two days. Don't even try to look for me. I'll be busy…." said the King of the Seven Seas, his smirk widening before walking away, following the path Sakura had taken…

"Don't look for you? Busy? What do you mean, Sin? Sin? Sinbad!"

The End

Ok folks! Poll's up! I have decided that I will definitely, definitely write a Magi/Naruto multi-chapter crossover in the near future! So please spare a couple of minutes to vote! It means a lot to me! Thank you in advance! Anyway, I cannot even begin to tell you have much fun I had writing this! By the time it was over, I was rolling on the floor laughing! I don't even know how I got this idea. It just came to me while I was watching Game of Thrones (I know, weird!) and I just had to write it. Sinbad is probably the most badass anime character ever! God, that scene at the end of episode 24 of "Magi: Kingdom of Magic" when Sinbad appears in his Baal Djinn Equip gets me high every damn time! The guy is as hot as an anime character can get! Can't wait for the next episode of "Sinbad no Bouken". Come on August, hurry up! But I'm rambling right now! So, I hope you liked it! READ AND REVIEW! And please don't forget to vote!

Lots of love!