Cloud awoke nauseous. With a groan he opened his eyes. A terrible mistake when next to him was Tifa and Jessie. Upon seeing their faces the memories of the raid came to him and Cloud promptly leaned over the side of the longship to vomit.

"Angeal, check him." Sephiroth's voice sounded from the back of the boat.

Cloud finished emptying his stomach and leaned against the railing. He opened his eyes to see the muscular man with dark hair and pale blue eyes approaching. He knelt down as the girls scooted away to make room.

"You look pale." Angeal commented. He removed a glove to feel Cloud's face. He frowned at how cold the skin was, and yet the forehead was burning.

"The fever his mother mentioned is returning." The man reported to the others.

"How strong?" Sephiroth sounded displeased.

"Not dangerous. But it's stubborn. Should I dip into the medicine box to help bring it down?" Angeal turned so he could make eye contact with the leader.

"If you feel that it is necessary." Sephiroth replied.

First an herb was introduced. It was tangy but sweet and very foreign on Cloud's tongue. Even as he chewed it helped his nausea. Then Angeal began preparing the mix of herbs to help his fever.

"Did the fever cause you to vomit or is it motion sickness?" Angeal asked as he worked.

For a man who works under a cruel murderer, he was kind. And gentle as he spoke. It remind Cloud of Zack. It was strange to see such caring individuals among these raiders.

"There's a reason I didn't become a fisherman." Cloud snorted.

It was also in part of his mother. But he wasn't going to dare mention her. Even thinking of her made him taste bile on his tongue.

Angeal studied the blond. He was curious to see such attitude showing despite the situation. And he was also curious about something else.

"So then what were you in your village?"

"I was training under the blacksmith." Cloud didn't understand why he bothered to give them any information. But so far Angeal wasn't too bad in his mind. His only sin was following Sephiroth.

"Blacksmith?" Sephiroth repeated. He moved closer. He paused at a chest to pull out an axe. It wasn't one of the twins Cloud wielded. This one belonged to the jarl. One he made as a gift.

It was deadly as it was beautiful. The wood strong and perfectly molded into the metal and wrapped in the best leather Nibelheim had to offer. Along the steel were intricate and delicate designs. Cloud had poured his heart and soul into this weapon. Of all the weapons he made by hand that was his best work so far.

Sephiroth twirled it expertly in his hand. Cloud noticed it was his left hand. And he wondered if that was the man's preference? Or if the dagger bite was still stinging to hold a weapon.

"Was this your work?" Sephiroth presented it for all to see.

"Yes." Cloud nodded.

A new admiration grew. It was felt in the shift in the air. Some of the other men turned to Cloud in wonder. Others stared at the weapon in awe.

"How old are you?" Angeal questioned.

"...What day is it?" Cloud didn't have a grasp of the days since the vision.

"The eleventh day of the last month of summer."

For a moment Cloud was stunned. Then it suddenly gave way into soft giggles. As heads turned he let out a laugh that had no mirth. He knew he sounded like a madman when Tifa shifted to move further away.

"The fever got to him. I say throw him overboard." The redhead glared.

"He's laughing because it's his sixteenth name day." Tifa spoke up.

Her voice calmed him enough to stop. Although Cloud still had trouble controlling the soft giggles. Oh the irony.

"Why is that cause to sound crazed?" Sephiroth had the smallest tug of a frown.

"I was born during a storm. The way my mother told it, we both should have died. But by some grace of the Gods we survived. At the cost of nearly an entire boat of skilled fishermen. Including my father." Cloud snickered, not at all bothered of that loss.

He was only a babe. Just born at the time. It meant nothing to him. It was evident when he did his best to suppress another wave of giggles yet a few escaped.

"So on the anniversary of what should have been your death, your mother passed." Sephiroth understood. "It's almost poetic, in a way."

Angeal finished the mixture of medicine. He brought it to Cloud's mouth. It tasted just as horrible as the one his mother gave him to help reduce the fever.

"See if he can hold food and water once the medicine is working." Sephiroth instructed as he returned to the back of the longship. He placed the prized axe back in the chest along the way.

This turned out to be a problem for everyone involved with that order. Cloud tried his best. But the rocking of the waves had him leaning over the side to rid of his stomach contents all the same.

This went on for two days. By the third Cloud was so weak. He could barely open his eyes. At this point Angeal dared to run his hand through Cloud's hair. When he didn't object to the touch the man turned to Sephiroth.

"He might be better off at the back. If this continues and he can't hold anything down the fever will take him before we reach Midgar."

"Then he should join his father to a watery grave." The voice of the redhead bitterly suggested.

Cloud wished for it.

"Enough, Genesis. Bring him to me Angeal." Of course Sephiroth will deny him this.

Strong hands and thick arms lifted Cloud delicately. The blond groaned as he was moved. But he didn't have anything to send into the ocean anymore.

Angeal ducked under the sail. Then shortly after Cloud was transferred into someone's lap. Somehow he sensed it was Sephiroth. And that alarmed him. For it meant the blood pact worked.

His body trembled. He was afraid. And yet it also betrayed him by seeking the warmth Sephiroth gave off. Cloud didn't dare to even try and open his eyes as he buried his face into the other man's chest.

And Angeal was right. The rocking wasn't so bad here. Cloud felt relief as his stomach stopped turning. He sighed as his body fully relaxed. Sephiroth noticed, and knew he was awake.

"Rest and recover your strength." The baritone voice whispered.

Cloud didn't have the heart to argue.

He awoke feeling stronger. Not enough to yank Sephiroth by the hair and send him into the waters. But enough to take in food. However there weren't broths left to go around. There was bread and dried meats.

Cloud overestimated himself with his ability to chew. The dried meat fell out of his mouth and into his lap. Sephiroth for his part didn't show he was displeased. Cloud wanted to sleep some more so he closed his eyes.

Only to be tilted enough for a mouth to press against his. Cloud made a startled noise, which made his mouth open. And then the chewed meat was shoved into his mouth.

Embarrassed that he had to be fed like a child barely walking, Cloud refused to open his eyes. He swallowed before he could follow along with the idea of spitting it at Sephiroth's face.

Fortunately that was the only offered meat. Cloud moved to rest his head against a warm chest. He listened to the strong heartbeat as he felt sleep claim him.

He was awakened periodically to being given chewed food by the same method. Sephiroth had some mercy to not do the same mouth to mouth with water. That was given directly from the waterskin. But he did control how much Cloud was given.

Slowly Cloud felt the fever finally left his body. Yet the combination of the fever and the events of the raid left his body weak. Never had he felt like this in his sixteen summers of life.

So his body was even slower in the recovery. But at some point he was able to finally chew on his own. Around this time he overheard a conversation.

"The wound isn't healing properly." Angeal informed gravely.

Cloud hoped it was Sephiroth's hand.

"Will Genesis hold until we make it to Midgar?" Sephiroth asked.

"At his current state, I am unsure."

Curious about the situation Cloud opened his eyes. He turned to examine Genesis. He recognized the man he had wounded. His armor and tunic were removed to reveal the wound.

He felt a sense of pride at the sight of it. Especially at the pain Genesis had. As if sensing eyes on him, the warrior turned to meet his gaze with a heated glare.

"You're lucky I can't toss you overboard for that smug look on your face." Genesis hissed.

"What of the medicine taken from the Seer?" Sephiroth ignored the threat.

"I don't recognize any of them to better help him." It was clear Angeal didn't like feeling useless.

"...Is it the full box?" Cloud decided to speak up.

Eyes turned to him in surprise.

"Do you know what herbs to use?" Angeal asked hopefully.

"Course I do. Just because I didn't train under my mother didn't mean she didn't have the sense to not show me how to treat wounds." Cloud scoffed.

"Show him the box." Sephiroth didn't address the attitude. His mind was more focused on the urgent issue.

Angeal picked it up. The box was next to the chest of prizes from the raid. It was huge and lovingly carved wood. Angeal opened it to reveal none of the contents were disturbed.

Cloud lifted his gaze up to study the wound. Amazing Genesis didn't lose so much blood. Someone had stitched it to help heal. But the skin was red and very painful. Meanwhile the rest of Genesis was pale, which meant he was also fighting a fever off that Angeal's medicine was keeping it at a minimum.

It would only do him so good until the wound was too great of poisoning the blood. Cloud began listing and describing the necessary herbs. Even went into detail of how much should be used to make the paste.

When he finished Angeal was mixing them. There was a hope in his eyes. And a form of gratitude.

"How do I know he's not poisoning me?" Genesis wasn't so grateful.

"Put some on my hand then. If I don't die then you know I didn't." Cloud knew better than to try that underhanded method.

Besides, he wanted to finish what he started in the heat of battle. If he was given the opportunity. But Cloud had to tread very carefully. He knew the bond worked, so he would have to find a means to get around it.

Angeal did so for the sake of stopping an argument. He put a small amount on Cloud's hand. It was already healing fine on its own. But the relief helped with the itching of the scabs.

After a few hours of waiting and no reactions from Cloud, Genesis grudgingly gave into the salve to be put over his shoulder. When it was covered Cloud made a suggestion.

"Either wrap it with linen or put his tunic on. It shouldn't be in the sun while it's healing. And pour water if it starts feeling hot."

"It hurts to wear a tunic! The fabric makes it itchy." Genesis was showing his pure hatred towards the blond.

"Then wrap it if you have bandages. Or make your own if the cloth is soft enough." Cloud glared back.

"You're just going to let him mouth back!?" Genesis glared at Sephiroth.

"You're being unreasonable." He sounded so done with this exchange.

"If you let it stay in the sun then you run the risk of getting a sunburn. And mixing the salves for blood poisoning and sunburns don't mix. Then you'll die slowly and painfully, wishing you died quicker from an axe." Cloud decided to throw in the reasoning.

"You mean your axe." Genesis snarled heatedly.

"Right between your eyes." Cloud smirked at the mental image. It was feral, like looking at a caged wolf. It made both Angeal and Genesis pause.

This time Sephiroth had enough. Cloud was shoved forward suddenly. He braced himself to meet the waters. Only to realize he was laying over Sephiroth's lap. And then a resounding smack echoed.

Cloud yelped more in surprise than the pain. Although his ass did sting like crazy. Sephiroth had been unrelenting in the power behind his arm.

Just how many times will this man embarrass Cloud? He felt his cheeks flushed brightly at the poor display he made. He felt all eyes on him, even from the other longships close by that belonged to Sephiroth and his men.

Once again he felt like some damn rare kind of honeycomb dangling before people's eyes. The difference was that no one bothered to hide it. Cloud tried to move so he wasn't over his captors lap.

This earned another harsh slap. Cloud felt the cry at his throat. And he stubbornly held it back. This time he felt Sephiroth's hand lingered over where he had hit. He wasn't fondling or anything. The hand was simply there, as if Sephiroth was having ideas.

Ideas Cloud didn't have to guess very hard what they were. He grit his teeth. As he did so his hands clenched. The dagger bite stung but it was nothing compared to the stinging on his ass.

Observant as ever Sephiroth withdrew his hand. Then he shifted Cloud to sit upright. He dared not look up to meet those green eyes.

"Don't make that hand worse when it's healing just fine." Sephiroth reprimanded.

Cloud refused to reply. He didn't trust his voice. In all honesty he was confused with himself. His body grew excited. Yet his mind felt shame, horror and growing hatred. Once again it reminded him of the dream where his body followed Sephiroth.

With a sigh the taller man began to shift Cloud forward again. In his panic the blond found his voice. He didn't care how he sounded right now. He didn't trust his body to receive more slaps.

"Okay, I won't! I won't!" His voice was high pitched.

Slowly Cloud was positioned upright again. His body trembled. With what he wasn't sure. He focused on evening out his breathing to calm his nerves.

Cloud did his best to ignore the growing bulge from the lap he sat on. To his horror his own ached in return but not as intensely.

"Misbehave again and I will have you begging for forgiveness in front of everyone here." Sephiroth's voice was deep.

Cloud tensed. He understood the threat. Of what Sephiroth would do. This man really had no shame. Mouth dry the blond nodded to at least show he understood.

"Good boy."