an: Well, I didn't intend to write more for this, but I was bored at the doctor's office, and it just sort of happened. =) Let me know how it turned out, 'kay?
They dropped, plunging into the icy salt water. Bubbles surrounded them from the disappearance of a great many shadow clones all at once. The force of the impact loosened Naruto's hold on Sasuke, and the boy began to sink. Desperately, Naruto reached forward, grasping. Even as he reached out, as his hand wrapped around his former teammate's arm, black eyes opened, staring straight into blue.
Startled, Naruto froze, almost losing his grip on Sasuke yet again. He opened his mouth, as if to say something, and bubbles poured into his face, waking him from his stupor. His hand tightened once more, and he kicked for the surface, thankful the other boy was awake and kicking, too.
The two boys breached the surface of the ocean violently, gasping and coughing as they tried to suck in air and, in Sasuke's case, expel water simultaneously.
Suddenly, Naruto began laughing. "Yeah!" he shouted, pumping his free fist in the air. "That was so awesome!" In the rush of adrenaline coursing through him from escaping the seemingly certain death of the long fall, he couldn't hold back the exuberant "Believe it!"
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered.
Naruto looked at the dark-haired boy he still held so tightly, grin as wide as the world as water dripped in his eyes. "Yeah? So?"
Sasuke stared at the blond as the blond stared back, and then they were both laughing. Tears and salt water poured down their faces as they clung to each other to stay afloat.
When their laughter finally died, they laid there, floating on their backs. They stared up at the stars peeking through the clouds as the rhythm of the ocean lulled them into peacefulness.
"Sasuke?"
"Hn."
"It's good to have you back." Naruto paused. "And it's cold."
There was silence for a moment. Then, softly, "Idiot."
But if Naruto looked closely through the inky, starlit air, he would see pink dusting the other boy's cheeks.
And he laughed.