swept away

He dipped in and out of the water as he struggled to hold on. It grew harder and harder to breathe as his eyes grew wide. "Help!" Kuroo managed to yell weakly as fear spread through him. Was he going to be saved? Would this be his end? Swept away by the very thing he loved almost the most? Shutting his eyes tightly, his ears flicked forward as he heard a rustling nearby. Someone was nearby! A faint hold on! rang out toward him. So there was still hope!

Searching the shadowy banks speckled with bright sun, he watched as the blue-coated man scrambled toward him. The branch dipped deeper into the water as he almost slipped off. Gritting his teeth until they felt as if they were going to break, Kuroo's pale eyes locked on to the stranger reaching out a paw. There wasn't any reason the stranger should be helping him, but he was. Thanking every heaven and star he could think of, he didn't waste a moment to shakily release one paw's grip from the branch and reach out to grab ahold.

The touch of his paw felt electric as their skin made contact. Inhaling one deep breath, he pushed forward with as much energy he had left. Kicking fiercely against the current, with the help of the stranger, Kuroo was able to hoist himself up onto the branch. One step, two step, and one leap off from the branch before he tumbled onto the shore. Flopping over onto his back, he coughed up water from his lungs. Exhausted and barely able to speak, he tilted his chin to glance over at the man with a smile.

"Speech"