He clung to the tree base as tightly as his weary arms would allow, and his head immediately jerked at the feel of something grabbing at his back. Even with the water, he sensed his partner and he was mixed with the continued panic he might just drag Sephiroth into the water and relief that the ex-General had come for him. He hadn't even spare the attention to notice.

He didn't resist as he was dragged from where he had been tangled and felt himself leave the water. He also sensed the sudden strain on his partner, and he managed to get his feet on the tree long enough to leap, to curl his arms (regardless of the spasms of pain) around the silver-haired man's waist to balance their weights. He knew Sephiroth would rather go down with him than let him go, so he held on with everything that he had to his partner's waist, coughing up more water even as he pressed his cheek against Sephiroth's chest.