#disneytickle

    He summons a smile and plays it off. “I’m not moping, I just needed to breath away from all the glamour. If you spend too much time around it you you start thinking in jewels and silks.”

    The blue face looks at him expectantly. It was as if Genie could see right through him...something Aladdin confessed he thought might be true.

    “You needed time away from high living so you dressed up in your old clothes and came back to your old stomping ground? Come on, give me something I believe.”

    It still amazes him how transparent he is to the magic being but he gives a sheepish smile since he’s been caught in the act. “I guess I’m just scared.”

    “You scared? Of what? Jaffar is in a lamp and he’s never gunna get free.”

    “I know but now I have to face what comes next. I’m marrying Jasmine, and I don’t think I could be happier about that but I’m also marrying a princess and…” He sort of trails off and looks at Genie helplessly. Luckily he doesn't need to explain, Genie’s already figured some of it out.

    “You’re worried about being a prince and the responsibilities of running a kingdom?”

    “That and losing myself and my freedom. I mean I never would have met Jasmine if she hadn’t felt so stifled in the palace. What if I get that way, lose my freedom and myself in the responsibilities?”

    “Ya worry too much Al, that’s nevah gunna happen.”

    “But that’s just it Genie, what if it does? I could become like Jafar, maybe not evil, but so devoted to my job or my own gain that everything else loses meaning. Or like all of the other ministers who just exist and don’t live. Or maybe I’ll end up like the Sultan, you know, so pressured by work that I crack and make the wrong decisions.”

    Genie didn’t reply immediately, Aladdin chanced a look at him and saw him deep in thought before replying slowly, “I guess I can’t promise that none of that will happen. Anything is possible, like magic carpets or a monkey smarter than the guards of a palace or a street kid falling in love with a princess and marrying her. I can say that with the pout your sportin right now it’s a wonder anyone falls for ya, comeon where’s that smile I love.” By the end Genie isn’t speaking with measured words, his own smile is back and he’s closing the distance between boy and spirit.

    Aladdin feels a slight smile creep onto his face, something about his blue friend’s is infectious. Genie now floats right in front of him and comments upon seeing the weak smile, “Isn’t that better, I’ll tell ya one thing Al, anymore pouting like that and you’ll give yourself a scowl Jafar would be proud of, and as your friend I can’t let that happen!”

    And then he strikes. Honestly Aladdin should have known something was coming, Genie was being too serious but the massive blue fingers in his ribs take him by surprise! He lets out a yelp and tries to stumble away but Genie is craftier than he looks and has Aladdin pinned between him and the rail, with nowhere to go. Either he planned this all along or it just worked out nicely for him but in any case Aladdin bears the brunt of Genie’s genius tickling! The fingers dance up and down his ribs at a rapid pace.

    Aladdin of course dissolves into a laughing mess, “GEhehEHEhEnie!StAHahahAhAp!”

    “Hmm, I’ll think about it.” The insincerity in his voice tells Aladdin he’s in for it, and so does the shift to his sides. Right about now he wishes he’d worn anything else other than his old clothes, almost anything else would offer better protection against tickling!

    “Wow Al, seems all those times they tried to catch you all those guards really needed to do was tickle you a little!”

    “NoHoAhAhtFuHAhunNY!”

    “Sure? You seem to think it’s hilarious!” Through his squinted eyes he’s able to see the manic grin Genie sports; oh he is not getting out of this any time soon. Genie pushes the flaps of his vest aside to gain better access at the tender ribs and sides and plowed into them.

    “NoHoAhAoFAhAhAhaiR!”

    To his relief the tickle crazed genie lays off for a moment. Then he hears what the blue creature has to say on the topic of fairness, “You’re right it isn’t fair. Here I am limiting myself to these boring means of tickling when you really need a good laugh. I’ll step it up!”

    “Wait, no!”

    He tries to slip away but it’s too late Genie is already working his magic, manifesting dozens of feathers of all shapes and sizes, some so fluffy Aladdin doubted they could help anything fly and others stiff enough he wonders if they’re feathers at all! Of course there’s only one place this is going and he doesn't like it but that isn’t enough to stop them from all descending on him in a frenzy. Some twist around his neck, others his sides, several at his belly and a few at the backs of his knees. These are the the really fluffy ones and he feels every soft projection on his skin.

    These are one kind of tickling, very light, gracefully dancing around him like they’re performing. Two at a time they rise up to tickle under his chin and then split off around his neck in different sides. Then they drop down to touch the back of his knees, somewhere he didn’t even know he was ticklish and which is only mitigated by his baggy pants. From there they travel up to graze his sides, then around to race across his belly and finally up again to his neck. The whole cycle is a rush of sensations and he doesn’t remember the last time he laughed so hard.

    Of course this all is too plain for Genie, his big blue friend is nothing if not a performer and a show off, both usually endearing and right now still impressive but not what Aladdin wants. In addition to the first cycle, the stiff feathers have their own cycle set up, perfectly times with the one other. This one starts at his belly button where one feather teases the sides of his naval while another investigates inside. The one on the outside scratches lightly with its end and the one inside swirls around in the vulnerable skin.

    They break from there and move up to an armpit apiece and here the cycle becomes less regular than its counterpart. Sometimes the feathers at this point go right into the hollows and scratch away merrily and other times they target the delicate skin just below said hollow and some enthusiastically switch back and forth. The feathers aren’t synchronized with each other at this part either so what’s happening to one side isn’t always what’s happening to the other. The unpredictability is what really makes this spot stand out and keeps his laughter pouring out.

    After the armpits they move down a little and poke at each rib before moving to his feet. Here they slide from heel to toes and then once again become unpredictable and they never behave the same way twice. One set sawed between each toe, another flipped around and scratched against his soles in a single but devastatingly ticklish course and still another set made sure to weave between his toes, under one and then above the next, under, and then over and finally under again, before pulling out from one side, tickling every toe again as it passed on it’s way out.

    Naturally under these conditions, it doesn't take Aladdin long to beg but Genie’s slow to answer, or maybe just slower than he wants. When he does though, Aladdin leans against the rail panting. He glares up at Genie, who’s the picture of innocents, of course.

    “Oh what’s the dirty look for Al? Ya needed some laughs and I brought them.”

    Aladdin opens his mouth to say he could have done it without the tickling but the fight doesn’t seem worth it, Genie will still be Genie and Aladdin isn’t really angry with him.

     Besides the tickling seems to have worked. He still feels the pressure of his worries but it seems less now, more manageable. He’s lost in thought for a moment on his future again. He will rule Agrabah one day with Jasmine but that’s in the future and he has time to learn how to before then. Losing his freedom to palace life, well he got here no problem and he’s had years of practice escaping the guards when they were more hostile to him, doing it now and in the future won’t be any harder. As for losing himself in the court in the manic way Jafar did, well he’ll always have Genie and Jasmine to pull him back if it ever starts.

    Genie pulls him out of his musing, “It’s getting dark and Jasmine’ll worry if your not back soon.” Aladdin nods and makes for the exit. He turns before he leaves and calls back, “Hey Genie? I owe you one, thanks.”

    The blue spirit grins wide and replies, “What are friends for Al? Next time you get into that mood, hollar and I’ll come and tickle you out of it!”