He’s definitely inhaled some water in surprise at the water closing in on him (he really doesn’t know how to swim that much at all okay, not even enough to know you’re supposed to blow air out to keep from doing exactly this) so once John has him upright there is a fair bit of coughing he needs to do first before he’s ready to speak again. Clinging to John’s arm with one hand and reaching out to brace himself against his shoulder with the other. His feet are definitely on the ground though and the water isn’t going to pull him under. He’s fine, John’s got him, and he’s fine.

He tips his head forward to rest his forehead against the other man’s shoulder, gathering his strength in standing still in the water together as they are. “Well,” he replies at last. “It’s certainly longer than I would have managed before without you.” Which is definitely a positive, yes. Also thank you for not letting him drown himself in the shallows in a panic. That really would have been embarrassing.