Raephier wasn't sure what had changed with Jacob, but something had. He felt like he was avoiding him. He was barely in the room, only to sleep. For the first two nights, Raephier hadn't thought too much about it. Afterall, Jacob was the Captain of the ship, and maybe he was busy trying to make up for the time they'd lost while on land.

It was the third day when Raephier started to think there was more to it than that. On the third day, it had rained pretty heavily throughout the day, and Jacob came back into the cabin just as the sun set, looking wet and miserable.

Reaphier quickly hid his smile, realising that Jacob might misinterpret his excitement to have company as enjoyment over seeing him drenched.

When Jacob started stripping out of his clothes, Raephier quickly turned away, but after staring at the same four walls for the last three days, his eyes were drawn to something new and interesting. Jacob's body was nicely toned, and Raephier couldn't help but feel affected by it.

Once Jacob was in his nightshirt, he got himself into bed and pulled the book he was reading off the small table next to his bed.

As much as Raephier enjoyed watching Jacob read, he longed for some interaction with him. But his anxieties prevented him from just starting a conversation, like a normal person would. Raephier had learnt to only speak when spoken to, and even though he knew Jacob was unlikely to punish him for speaking up, it was a hard habit to break.

It took him over half an hour to work up the courage, after having practiced what he was going to say several times over in his head, till he was sure he would be able to do it without stuttering.

He cleared his throat.

"Captain, if it's not too much trouble, please could you tell me what the book is about?"

Raephier was almost jubilant at his success, until he saw the frown appear on Jacob's face.

"I don't think it's anything you would understand," Jacob said, making Raephier drop his gaze to his feet.

Of course, Jacob was probably right, but that didn't make the response hurt any less. Raephier could still feel the Captain's gaze on him, and he hoped that he would say something else. Something that would make the hurt go away.

When the Captain did speak again, it wasn't what Raephier was expecting.

"I'm going to turn in early tonight. Is there anything you need before I turn out the lamp?"

Raephier shook his head, then lay down on his blanket.

The light went off, leaving Raephier with nothing but his thoughts for company. And tonight his thoughts were not pleasant ones.

Was this all he was to expect now? A couple of words followed by silence? A day of having no one for company apart from the fleeting seconds when James or Pete brought him food? The reality hit Raephier like a wrecking ball. All this time he'd thought that Jacob had been kind, letting him out of the cage, not tethering him up, giving him a sense of freedom. When in reality, all he'd done was substitute his small cage for a much larger one.

Raephier could hear Jacob tossing and turning on the bed. Clearly he hadn't been tired when he decided to go to bed early, which meant that he had turned out the light purposefully to avoid any interaction with Raephier.

It was a cold night, almost like the rain had left an icy chill in its wake, and Raephier struggled to get warm with his one blanket. But he'd slept in much worse situations, so eventually sleep took over.

When he woke up, he felt surprisingly well rested. And warm.

His eyes suddenly snapped open, and he shot upright when he realised he was lying in a bed.

His eyes met those of Jacob, who was standing next to the bed putting on his boots.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Jacob said, "but you were shivering in your sleep, so I put you in my bed. I hope you don't mind."

"N-no, not at all," Raephier managed to get out, slightly confused by the whole situation.

"Good," Jacob said resolutely. "From now on, you are welcome to share my bed. There's plenty of room. I'll have breakfast sent up to you shortly."

As soon as he left, Raephier flopped back onto the bed in a daze, a slight smile creeping onto his face. Maybe Jacob cared after all.

The next few days followed the same pattern as the last few, with Jacob returning late, and leaving early. The only difference was that every night, before he turned the lamp off, he invited Raephier into his bed. Most mornings, Raephier woke to find Jacob already dressed and heading out, but on the rare mornings that Raephier woke first, he would usually find Jacob's arm wrapped around him. It was only in those few minutes, before Jacob would inevitably wake up and remove himself from the bed, that Raephier felt any kind of contentment. Increasingly with each day of being left on his own, he was feeling more and more desolate. Like his life had no purpose or meaning. Like it was getting difficult to even get off the bed and eat.

The following evening, which was by Raephier's calculations, about halfway through the voyage that would take the Captain and his men home, Jacob came back to the cabin early again.

This time Raephier knew better than to get his hopes up and didn't even lift his head up off his blanket.

Jacob sat at his desk, doing something with some papers, before he turned to face Raephier.

"We're going to make port tomorrow. We'll be staying there for a couple of nights while we purchase all we need for the final crossing."

Raephier sat up, suddenly eager for this conversation. After having been stuck in this cabin for over a week, the idea of going onto land gave him something to look forward to.

"I'll be booking into an Inn for a couple of nights, so you'll be here by yourself. I'll make sure that all your meals are brought to you as usual, and you're welcome to sleep on the bed."

Jacob looked like he was waiting for some kind of response from Raepheir, but Reaphier couldn't bring himself to give one. He just lay back down on his blanket and willed himself not to cry.

He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew, he was being lifted onto the bed. The covers were pulled over him and he felt the bed dip behind him as Jacob got in. He wished so much that Jacob would gather him into his arms so he could feel him pressed up against his back.

Raephier didn't know if it was because he was still half asleep, or if the feeling of Jacob's arms lifting him up had given him courage, or maybe it was sheer desperation but he suddenly acquired a burst of boldness.

"Please don't leave me," he whispered.

"What?" Jacob replied, sounding shocked. "I'm not leaving you Raephier."

"You are," he mumbled. "For two whole days."

"But I'll be back," he said with a slightly amused chuckle.

"You don't understand," Raephier pleaded, immediately putting an end to Jacob's amusement.

Even though Raephier was facing away from Jacob, he could feel the Captain's questioning stare.

"What don't I understand?" he asked gently.

"How lonely I am," Raephier replied.

As soon as he said it, he felt ashamed. He shut his eyes tightly, hoping that when he opened them again he would realise that all this was a dream. He was warm, and well fed, and Jacob even let him sleep in his bed. What was Jacob going to think of him complaining because he didn't have any company! What did Raephier expect him to do? Not Captain his ship so he could look after him? Raephier had never felt like more of a child, and he hated it.

He felt a warm hand rest against his cheek, and he hated himself even more for leaning into the touch.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about it like that," Jacob said, making Raephier feel even more guilty. He buried his face in the blankets, hoping that Jacob would just forget everything he'd just said.

The covers were pulled off him.

"Raephier, please talk to me," Jacob said. "What can I do to help?"

Raephier slowly sat up, then made the mistake of looking up at Jacob.

Jacob's brow was pinched in concern and his kind eyes were staring intently into Raephier's.

The only thing Raephier could think right now was 'damn, he's so beautiful'.

"I never even considered that you might be lonely," Jacob continued, snapping Raephier out of his previous thought. "I'll try and come back a little earlier. We can talk again. Would that help?"

Raephier nodded, but all the while he couldn't help but wonder - why did he stop in the first place?

"I would like that," Raephier said, "but I don't want to be a nuisance. If you're needed on deck, I understand."

Jacob was the one to break their eye contact as he looked down to his hands, telling Raephier all he needed to know - that Jacob had been avoiding him on purpose.

The thought stung more than it should. The same kind of pain that Raephier felt every night when he had to watch Jacob eat another sprig of that damn seaweed.

"I'll see what I can do," Jacob said.

"Thank you," Raephier replied, then burrowed down under the covers to sleep.

Just a few minutes later, he felt himself being pulled back on the bed into Jacob's warm embrace.

Raephier let out a small squeak of surprise.

"You're still cold, I was just warming you up. Is that alright?" Jacob asked.

"It's always alright," Raephier said before he could stop himself. He was suddenly very thankful that it was dark and he was facing away from Jacob.

Jacob let out a small chuckle, before settling down to sleep.

Raephier woke several times that night, and every single time he was still encased in Jacob's arms. It was like heaven.

The following day, Jacob left early again, but by midday Raephier could see the harbour out of the small window in the cabin.

Raephier had travelled a lot since the curse, and this was a port he recognised well. Jachico was a well known trading port where goods from all over the world were sold and bought and sent on their way to new lands far away.

Raephier had seen just about everything you could think of being traded here. Foods of every colour, exotic animals, silks and linens, large metal items called machines (what they did, Raehpier had no idea), grains and spices by the container load, even rocks which always amused him. And of course himself. He was bought by his fourth master at this very port.

The noise of the door opening drew Raephier's attention away from the window.

"It's quite a sight, isn't it?" Jacob asked as he walked over to where Raephier was standing.

"Yes, I've been here several times," Raephier replied, making Jacob raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"You have?"

Raephier nodded.

"But I've never been on land here," he said. "Oh, apart from when I was lifted from one ship into another."

Raephier risked a glance at Jacob, and saw the sadness in his eyes. It was nice to see that Jacob cared, but he didn't want his pity.

"It's a very pretty port," he said instead, to try to dispel the somber mood.

"Yes," Jacob said, looking back out of the window.

It was quiet for a while before Jacob turned to Raephier and said,

"Tomorrow I'll be spending the day acquiring what I need for our journey home, but after that, once the traders have left for the day, I'll come back to get you and I'll take you on a tour of the town. How does that sound?"

Raephier tried to tamper down his smile.

"That sounds....that sounds really nice. Thank you Captain," Raephier said, trying to keep his excitement contained.

Jacob chuckled, so maybe he didn't hide it that well.

"There's lots to show you," Jacob said, and then he proceeded to regale Raephier with anecdotes from his time in the town, and places that he wished to show him.

Raephier could have sat there listening to Jacob for hours. He was a natural storyteller, and Raephier could vividly picture everything that Jacob was telling him, almost like it was being played out in front of him. By the time Jacob left, with a promise to Raephier that he would be back for him tomorrow, Raephier was buzzing with excitement to see all the places that Jacob had told him about.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.