[There, at the bottom of the well in a stagnant pool, bobs Naruto—once again, back to his normal self. The cold, suspiciously tinted water seems to have snapped him out of the strange episode that had gripped him. Despite the misery painting his expression, the blond’s ill-advised dive has been a success in one venture: He holds aloft a certain lost ring.]
S-S-Sasuke! [comes the pathetic whine,] it’s freezing!
[Hair flattened to his head, he gazes up at the other boy wretchedly. Unsurprisingly, Sasuke remains utterly unsympathetic to his plight and only bids him to climb out of the well. And so, shivering, Naruto does as he’s told. Back up top, the blond does not dwell on his odd behavior in the last ten minutes, nor does he bring it up. Kurama too is quiet on the subject. While Sasuke watches him carefully, his best friend likewise does not comment.
Together, the two shinobi pick their way back to the city—to return the ring and claim their reward.]
/fin
S-S-Sasuke! [comes the pathetic whine,] it’s freezing!
[Hair flattened to his head, he gazes up at the other boy wretchedly. Unsurprisingly, Sasuke remains utterly unsympathetic to his plight and only bids him to climb out of the well. And so, shivering, Naruto does as he’s told. Back up top, the blond does not dwell on his odd behavior in the last ten minutes, nor does he bring it up. Kurama too is quiet on the subject. While Sasuke watches him carefully, his best friend likewise does not comment.
Together, the two shinobi pick their way back to the city—to return the ring and claim their reward.]