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Nari stood out front of the building attached to the address on the card. She fiddled with the check in her hands. Was she really going to pass up on this much money? Should she pocket it and attend the tryout? Should she pocket it and run? Or was she going to keep standing out in the snow?
Nari's feet carried her inside, past the glass double doors and into the warmth of the lobby. She looked around her, taking in the sight. It was a nice place, but nothing overly fancy. It was a corporate office building with a generic themed lobby.
The elevator doors opened and Konan stepped off and into the lobby, her calm smile greeted Nari who shoved the check into the back pocket of her faded and ripped flare jeans. Konan stuck her hand out and Nari shook it, the two greeting each other.
"I'm so glad you changed your mind." Konan told her and Nari went cold when the blue haired woman's grip turned to stone. "Everyone's waiting." Her tone was almost threatening and she dragged the poor girl to the elevator. The doors closed and suddenly she felt very much like a caged animal.
"What do you mean, everyone?" Nari asked weakly and despite her best efforts, her knees began to shake.
People sat around the studio, tuning instruments or smoking a blunt. Deidara coughed out the smoke while sitting at the seat behind his drums and he passed it back to Hidan who just laughed at him.
"You shouldn't be smoking in here." Kakuzu said, not looking up from his paperwork he held in his lap. He sat in a chair pushed against the side of the wall.
"Pass that my way." Kisame grinned from his spot near the door. Hidan handed it to him and the man covered in blue tattoos took a long hit before Hidan took it back.
"You shouldn't fucking be here." Hidan bit at Kakuzu, holding the blunt in his mouth as he spoke around it. "What the fuck are you even doing here?"
"I called him here." Pein spoke, stepping into the room and Hidan tried to wave away the smoke of the blunt, hiding it behind his back as though Pein actually cared. "We are having a meeting and I want every person here."
"What for, yeah?" Deidara asked slowly, swaying a bit in his seat. "We cutting tour short?"
"We better not be." Kakuzu looked up from his papers and over his reading glasses.
"Konan says she has found someone she would like us to evaluate." Pein explained, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. Itachi looked up from the strings he was tuning.
"How sure are we of this person?" Sasori asked, crossing one knee over the other. "I'm getting tired of editing people in and out of pictures."
"Nothing's permanent, my man." Deidara laughed to himself. "Maybe you should try a more temporary form of art." Small groans could be heard around the room.
"Our art is the only thing that lasts through history." Sasori argued back, glaring at the blonde. "Art is eternal."
"Would you two shut the fuck up?" Hidan groaned and plopped down on the edge of the raised floor that held up the drum set. "Every time we have a band meeting you two fuckers get fucking existential."
"Big word, Hidan." Kakuzu pointed out. "Do you even know what it means?"
"Hey, fuck you!" Hidan shouted, indignant. Itachi sighed through his nose and stopped tuning his instrument. It was getting hard to hear it with all the yelling. He set it aside and rested his arms on his knees, sitting near Hidan.
"Hello!" Tobi flounced in with a bag a food shaking on his arm. "I got the good stuff, 'cause I'm such a good boy!" He cheered, interrupting the shouting match. He started handing out different cans of caffeinated drinks and bags of snacks, dodging the shouts being tossed around him.
Nari gasped quietly and her back went ramrod straight as Konan pushed her through the door, tossing her into the lion's den. To her absolute horror, all eyes of the band known as Akatsuki landed on her and she put her hands up in defense as though they were going to attack her. Pein's eyebrows rose in surprised. He didn't think Konan would actually get her here. Everyone looked her over for a moment.
Her fire engine red hair fell in soft raves out from under an olive green beanie. The hair fell past her shoulders and onto the leather jacket she wore over a dark grey shirt.
Nari tried to back out of the room but the deceptively strong blue haired demon behind her pushed her further in.
"Konan, I will pay you twice what you gave me to let me go." Nari whispered over her shoulder to the woman as she slid on her heels into the room. She spied a man standing in the corner, half of his face white and the other completely black. His green hair was short and messy and the shirt that red Security didn't make her feel safe. He was absolutely on Konan's side in this.
"Tobi," Konan waved him over and the young man dropped the snacks on the floor and bounced over, gushing praise at the very pale Nari.
"You're gonna do great!" He encouraged as his vice like grip dragged her even further into the room and over to the guitar that rested in its stand. "Just a few chords and you can go home! You're gonna be amazing, I'm so excited!" His cheery praise covered the whispered begging to be freed.
"Who the fuck is this?" Hidan asked Konan, pointing at Nari while Tobi shoved the electric guitar in her hand.
"She's going to sing for you guys." Konan smiled, speaking calmly and pressing her hands together, her tell she was nervous.
"We need a guitarist." Pein reminded her. "Not another singer."
"Yeah, in case you haven't noticed, I'm still fucking here." Hidan jabbed his thumb at himself.
"I can play." Nari spoke softly, startling herself. The three heads turned and looked at her. Pein pinched the bridge of his nose but waved her on. Hidan just looked at her, sizing her up and she straightened her back, trying to feel braver than she was. Konan's smile reached from ear to ear and her calm demeanor was replaced with a wild determination to have Nari join them. "I'm not actually a singer."
"So you can do both." Konan announced and turned to Pein, schooling her features, returning to her eerie calm. "Imagine that."
"Too fuckin' skittish." Hidan dismissed. "We can do better than her." Nari wasn't one for having much confidence, but she knew how to play a guitar and she'd be damned if she let Hidan walk all over her like this, even if he was the lead singer of one of her favorite bands.
"Excuse you." She said, startling herself and three she was speaking with. "I'm pretty shit at singing but I can strum a damn guitar."
"If what we saw was shitty singing, I can't wait to see how you play." Konan told her, lacing her hands together. Her voice was smooth as glass and Nari heard the threat in her voice. She would play for them. She shifted on her feet, nervously, thinking of a song.
"Play something you can sing as well." Pein instructed, breaking the silence. "I want to see how your voice pairs with Hidan's."
"What?" Both of them asked, bewildered by the demand. Pein pushed off the wall and moved to the door.
"You heard me." He said, not wanting to repeat himself and he opened the door to leave. "Kisame, with me. I need you on the board."
"Woah, wait are we recording?" Nari asked nervously, glancing at the band members next to her. Everything was spiraling out of control and she wondered if it was too late to back out.
"Can you do Seether?" Konan asked, ignoring the question and Nari looked to the other band members, waiting for their answers.
"Can I play Seether." Deidara mocked, chuckling to himself. Nari shot him a glare and noticed the red in his eye and the smell of weed in the room.
"Are you sober enough to play Seether?" She corrected and she heard a quiet snort from Itachi who was looking away and trying not to smile. Deidara looked at her, dumbfounded at the sass while small chuckles and laughs were shared around the room.
"She has you dead to rights, boy." Sasori's voice wafted over to her as he stood with Kakuzu, the two making their way out of room, followed by the silent security guard. Konan passed them, breezing back into the room and shoving some papers in Nari's hands before moving to the other musicians.
"Here, I printed these this morning." Nari looked at them and fought the urge to roll her eyes. She was reevaluating her love of Amy Lee. Of course Konan would want her to sing this song.
"God, this is such a sad fucking song." Hidan groaned, snatching the papers from Konan. He walked over to some equipment and picked up a music stand. He walked back and slammed it down in front of her. "Good luck." He all but sang with a smirk. Tobi left the room, giving her a double thumbs up in encouragement and closed the door behind him. Her head began to swim. She closed her eyes to breathe but was startled when a mic stand was roughly placed infront of her by Hidan. She all but jumped when she felt someone moving the guitar.
"Electric or acoustic?" Itachi asked as he plugged in the guitar. All she could do was just watch him as he worked and when he didn't get an answer he looked at her, straightening up and looking down at her, his dark hair making him look even paler and she noticed it was falling out of his low pony tail. Nari swallowed nervously. "Which are you more comfortable with?" He asked, elaborating and ripping her out of her stupor.
"Acoustic." She answered quietly and she heard Deidara warming up but he sounded so far away.
"Take this then." He instructed and helped her remove the electric guitar, handing her the acoustic instead. She put the strap on and let it rest. It was a little bigger but she tested it with her fingers and tested the strings, making sure they were tuned, letting the sounds of the guitar vibrate through her.
"You guys ready?" Kisame's voice called through a speaker, startling her. She looked at the mirror in front of her and though she could only see her reflection, the rest of the group stood behind it, watching. Her skin began to crawl and her throat closed up.
"Nari, since you're on acoustic, we'll wait for your lead." Kisame instructed and she nodded. She cracked her fingers, knowing they would probably cramp later. She needed to practice more. Nari cleared her throat and tapped the mic, making sure it was on. Was she really about to play with the Akatsuki?
"Come on, yeah." Deidara urged and she saw him twirling a stick in his fingers in the reflection. She looked down at the sheet music. She didn't need it, but she was glad to have it.
"Here we go." She told herself quietly and began to strum. She smiled to herself as it went flawlessly, the melancholy and familiar notes sounding from her fingers against the strings. Itachi slowly, subtly joined in. Before long, Hidan's gruff voice sang out next to her. For a moment she was star struck as his voice carried out and filled the room. He was a power house and she was intimidated but her fingers kept moving out of muscle memory and she shook her head. This was no time to get distracted. She could do this. She had already started, she couldn't back out. Why not put everything into this once in a life time chance?
Nari kept her eyes glued on the sheets in front of her, not daring to look around. Hidan finished his part and she closed her eyes, breathing deep and listening for her cue.
The worst is over now and we can breathe again. She sang from her chest, letting out the anxiety and fear. I wanna hold you high and steal my pain away-ay. She heard Hidan joining in, meeting her where she was and she couldn't help but smile at him. He smirked at her and held her gaze as they went into the chorus. Their voices clashed in the most amazing way, gruff and bold clashing with earnest and strong. He might have been an asshole, but he wasn't going to sabotage more courage, she looked at the reflection in the mirror and found she was smiling as she sang her heart out and loved every minute of it.
The world seemed to slow down. All of her fears, insecurities, and worries melted away. Even the fact that she was playing with the Akatsuki fell out of focus. Nothing matter but her and her music. The music and the singing drowned out everything, all the heart ache, all the struggling. For a moment, she was free of it all.
The song ended way too soon for her liking and before the last note cleared, Tobi burst into the room and made a bee line to her, crashing into her like a truck, knocking the wind out of her.
"Where the hell did Konan find you, yeah?" Deidara asked from his seat, laughing and she looked at him over her shoulder, sheepishly.
"Not fucking bad," Hidan told her, nodding approvingly. He looked at the glass window and gave a thumbs up. "Got my damn vote!" The light in the room turned on and she could see everyone there. Pein looked mildly pleased while Konan could barely contain her glee though she stood still, her calm façade slipping. She noticed Kakuzu and Sasori talking and looking at her every so often and something made her feel like they were up to no good. Kisame was grinning at her and pressed a button.
"Anyone have any objections?" He asked through the system and Nari looked around at the people in the room.
"I don't mind, yeah." Deidara piped up, drumming a bit, just making a ruckus.
"Might be nice having another bitch around." Hidan added and she looked over at Itachi who gave her a small smile and nod before looking to the glass.
"I have no complaints." He announced and Tobi shrieked in glee, making everyone jolt as he shook her. Konan came into the room and walked over to Nari, gently taking her hands.
"We leave the day after tomorrow." Konan explained with a smile. "We are supposed to be touring right now and we have an event coming up. Come with us." She offered and Nari's smile fell. This was a lot of commitment all at once. There was so much she had here and now that needed her attention. She had her own band. She had her boyfriend. She had her brother. Konan sensed something was wrong. "We'd only be gone for a few days and then you'd be right back."
"I can't." Nari told her quietly, her heart breaking into pieces. Why wasn't she trying? She wanted to scream at herself, to talk it all back, but Hidan beat her to it.
"What the fuck?" Hidan shouted. "You just came in here and sang your fucking lungs out just to turn down a chance like this?"
"Yeah, man." Deidara piped up. "What gives, yeah."
"I'm sure she has prior commitments." Itachi defended her, being the voice of reason and she smiled at him in thanks. "This is last minute, even for someone used to this life style." Both he and the other two had good points. She had prior commitments but to turn this down would be insane. She had dreamed of this opportunity for so long she had almost forgotten how badly she wanted it. But she wasn't sure she could leave her brother.
"You have twenty four hours to think about it." Pein announced, stepping into the room and giving her the card to a hotel down the street. "This is where we are staying. I believe you have Konan's number. Meet us here tomorrow night if you want to join us. Otherwise we will have to find another guitarist."
"Thank you." Nari told him and shook his hand. "I will let you know as soon as I can."
"I sincerely hope you join us."
Those words rang in her ears all the way home and up the steps to her boyfriend's apartment. Her heart was beating wildly and she could hardly contain her excitement. If she made arrangements quick enough, she'd be free as a bird. Now that her dream was close enough to taste, she found she was willing to do anything to reach it. Nari had an incredible evening, she not only played for the Aktatsuki, she played and sang with them and they liked her enough to bring her on. It was like a dream come true and she couldn't believe it. She had to tell Eric!
Nari ran as fast as she could, having lent him the car for the night. He lived close enough so it wasn't a problem.
Nari climbed the steps and knocked on the door, hardly able to contain her glee. When was the last time she had been this genuinely excited for something?
Her mood started slipping when could already smell the weed in the hall and scrunched up her nose. Whatever they smoked in the studio smelled worlds better than this shit. Her joy quickly crashed around her as Eric opened the door and she gasped at the scratches and bruises all over him. Her buzz of happiness was instantly washed away and it felt more like a distant dream as panic coursed through her at the sight of her boyfriend.
"Oh my god, what happened?" Nari asked, stepping inside and looking him over. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Eric told her, giving her a gentle hug and she sighed into him, relieved to have him relatively safe. "Car's not ok, but I am." He smiled at her nervously as she slowly released him and she furrowed her brows.
"What the hell happened? How bad is the car?" She asked and he rubbed his arm, not meeting her stare. She stepped back, her tone going firm. "Eric?" Nari asked slowly. "What. Happened."
"Look, it was just an accident." Eric dismissed and he tried to walk away but she put a hand on his chest. "Honest!"
"You totaled my car." She accused, feeling tears of frustration welling in her eyes and she paused. Why else would he be trying to avoid this conversation? "What the hell did you do? Did someone hit you? Did you get their information?"
"No one else was involved." He sighed and looked at her, annoyed. "Just lost control."
"How?" She bit at him. "How the fuck did you lose control? Were you texting? Were you high?"
"Does it matter?" He bit back and fury welled up in her.
"You wrecked my car!" Nari shouted at him. "You fucked up the car! How the fuck am I gonna get to work?"
"Just take the bus." Eric sighed at her, as though public transportation solved everything.
"It doesn't run after we close!" Nari shouted. "You know that! Or at least you should! You don't pay attention to shit, I bet you just got so distracted texting someone you forgot to fucking turn!" She accused. Eric just looked at her, hands on his hips. She shook her head at him. "How fucking dare you? I lend you my car and you fucking total it."
"Look, it wasn't my fault." Eric tried but she cut him off, tired of his excuses.
"Fuck off, Eric." Nari told him quietly and walked out and down the steps. "You don't care about anyone but yourself!"
"You're being unreasonable!" He called after her, not caring about the neighbors this late at night. "Don't be like that!" He shouted but Nari kept going. Back out into the cold and snow she went. She stood outside and furiously wiped away her tears, swearing to herself. She couldn't have one day of something not going wrong. She checked the time on her phone and sighed before taking off in a sprint, desperate to catch the last bus that would get her even close to where she needed to be. Now she had no car.
"Do you think she'll come back?" Tobi asked nervously.
"Fucking waste if she doesn't." Hidan grunted and knocked back a shot. The group lingered in the living room of the suite they rented in their hotel, drinking to the end of a good day. While they were on tour, it was rare for them all to be in the same room together, each group usually off doing their own thing. Konan, Pein, and Kakuzu usually worked logistics, often times working with Sasori as well. Zetsu always lingered where the majority of the band went. The band tended to stick together for the most part with Kisame always hanging around. They spent a lot of time in the studio, either fucking around or playing music. Sasori seemed to flit between the two groups, being the one in charge of "maintaining their aesthetic" as someone so eloquently put it.
"Maybe you scared her off, yeah." Deidara pointed out as he leaned back on the couch, putting his feet on the table.
"Move your feet." Konan chided as she plopped down on the couch next to him and Deidara sighed but removed them, his boots hitting the floor firmly. "You were rude, Hidan." Konan agreed, taking a sip of her own drink.
"Get the fuck off my back." Hidan waved at them. "Once the music started I did my fucking part." The group started bickering amongst themselves over who made her run off and Itachi sighed. He leaned against the stand where the liquor was kept and swirled his drink in his glass.
"Do you think she's a good fit?" Pein asked, wanting the input of the bassist as the others argued. Itachi looked at him and nodded.
"I would not have agreed to her joining otherwise." Itachi explained and Pein nodded. "She might need more attention to get caught up to speed. I don't know if she'll be ready for the concert."
"She doesn't need to be." Pein told him and Itachi quirked an eyebrow. "Kisame has informed me he can play pre-recorded guitar pieces. She just has to stand on stage and pretend."
"Hn." Itachi nodded in understanding and took a sip of the drink. "Why did you not tell her before?"
"If she was not confident enough in her own skills to rise to the challenge, to at least try, then she doesn't have what it takes to last in the business." Pein stated simply and set his glass on the wood between them. "Good night."
"Night." Itachi bid him and mulled over his words. He'd worked with Pein for a while now and always valued his perspective and in this case, he was right. Itachi looked into his glass and thought about the girl he had seen earlier that evening. She was cute and had some skill. Nari was a sweet girl and he could hear the soul in her voice. He had noticed how lost she got in the music, as though her world melted away. She kept up with them well enough and once she relaxed a bit, she fit in well, almost as though she had been there the whole time. Itachi finished his drink and set it on the wood next to Pein's glass before walking away as well. He hoped for her sake she would join them and free herself from whatever was holding her back. It would be a shame for them to have to start over again.
Nari sat in the same uncomfortable chair she always sat in as she watched the artificial rise and fall of his chest, the machines he was hooked up to beeping softly, reassuring her he was in fact alive. The cards Konan and Pein had given in her rested in her hands and they felt as though they were made of lead. Her head raced in frustration. She needed a new car. She couldn't afford a new car. She needed to start paying back the hospital bill. It had been months and they were starting to stack up. She needed to go to work, not run off and play rock star.
She had hoped Eric would visit her brother in her place while she was gone, but clearly that option was off the table. She sighed through her nose.
Nari took her brother's motionless hand in hers and held it tightly as she looked him over. She only had a few hours left to decide and she couldn't fathom leaving him.
"What do I do, Leo?"
"Alright, thank you for your call." Pein said as set the phone down onto the receiver and rubbed the bridge of his nose, careful not to bump his piercings.
"Was that her?" Konan asked gently, her tone hopeful and he sighed through his nose. He hated to disappoint her.
"No." He told her quietly. "Room service is on the way up with our dinner for the evening." He explained and checked his watch for the time. Technically, it was a few minutes past the deadline. Pein looked down and saw Konan's arms wrapping around him. He turned around and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. "I'm sorry." He offered, knowing she had her heart set on the girl.
"It happens." Konan reassured and stepped back, looking up at him with a sad smile. "Besides, she didn't seem too interested in the first place." Konan lied to herself and Pein smiled down at her, seeing through the lie. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss.
"Food's here, yeah!" Deidara announced and bounced over to the door after they heard a knock echoing through the room.
"Fucking finally." Hidan called as he stepped out of one of the bedrooms attached to the living room.
"That was fast." Konan noted and Deidara yanked open the door, a grin bursting across his face. Before him stood an out of breath Nari, her bag resting at her feet. She offered a smile as she caught her breath.
"You're late." Sasori told her from his seat on the couch and she offered an apologetic smile.
"The bus was late." She admitted and Deidara grabbed her bag, tossing it inside and letting it roll next to the couch.
"Come on in, yeah." He told her and she stepped in, closing the door behind her. "Food's almost here."
"You made it." Konan smile as she walked over and gently hugged the girl. Nari smiled at her and shoved her hands in her coat pockets once she was let go. She rocked on her heels.
"Yeah, I had to pull some strings, but I'm free for the next few days." She joked and Konan smirked at her, eyeing her up and down, already thinking of ways to integrate her into the public eye.
"Let me introduce you to everyone." Konan stated and guided her further into the room. "You've briefly met them, but let's get you better acquainted. Of course you know me, I'm the PR person for the band." She explained and indicated to Pein who walked over to shake her hand again. "This is Pein, the manager of the band. He runs it all." Konan joked while Nari shook his hand, a nervous smile.
"We are glad you decided to join us." He told her and she let out a nervous giggle before Konan yanked her attention to the couch.
"You already know out drummer, Deidara." He held up his hand in a wave from his seat on the couch next to Sasori who looked her over in a similar way Konan had.
"This is Sasori." Konan explained. "He does all of cover art, social media, and even helps with some of the costuming."
"Wow." Nari breathed, impressed by the list. "You do a lot, hu?"
"Hm." He nodded in response. Unsatisfied with his response she casually pointed to her own red hair.
"Love you hair, man." She teased, her tone dry. She got a smirk out of him and decided that was enough.
"Was wondering when the fuck you'd get here." Hidan called from across the room as he struggled to open a bottle.
"She missed her bus, yeah." Deidara said, looking at him over the couch. Konan and Nari walked over to the table that was stationed next to the large windows. She recognized the two people sitting at it.
"This is Kakuzu." Konan indicated the man looking over some important looking documents. "He manages the band's finances." He slid over some paperwork to her, not bothering to look up.
"Fill this out by tomorrow morning." He instructed as he continued his work. "We can discuss your pay tomorrow."
"Pay?" Nari asked, startled. "Already?" Kakuzu looked up at her and slid his glasses down his nose.
"You do want to get paid, right?" He asked, his voice hoarse.
"Well, yeah." Nari shifted her weight awkwardly as Konan tried not to laugh. "Kinda figured you wouldn't pay me until you were sure I'd stick around."
"They wouldn't let me withhold pay." Kauzu answered bluntly before turning back to his work and Nari just smiled weakly.
"This is Zetsu, our head of security." Konan said gently, indicating to the man with green hair. Nari stuck her hand out and he just stared at her until she dropped it. Konan pulled her away gently, returning to the couch. "Don't worry, he'll warm up to you."
"Sure." Nari nodded along. "So, what now?"
"Dinner is on the way up." Sasori spoke, not looking up from his tablet as he sketched something.
"Have you eaten yet?" Konan asked her.
"No, I'm not really hungry." Nari lied, not wanting to cause any problems. Konan just elbowed her before sitting on the couch, patting the seat next to her. Nari was about to sit but she saw Hidan still struggling with the bottle, resorting to using his teeth. "Excuse me." She said quietly before walking over to him. She stuck her hand out.
"Give me that before you lose a tooth." Nari told him patiently. Hidan eyed her before smirking and shoving the bottle in her hands. She looked it over. It was just a champagne bottle with a regular quark. Why the hell was he having so much trouble? Nari twisted it a bit before popping it off, startling the singer. Nari grabbed a class from the counter and poured him some, handing it to him. He instead took the bottle and clinked it against her glass before drinking from it. Nari couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"Glad to have a bitch who can bust into bottles for me." He joked, elbowing her before walking over to the seating area, dropping into a chair, sighing loudly. "Man, where the fuck is that food?" Nari hovered in the background, watching them talk amongst themselves, feeling like a complete outsider. Now what?
"You came! You came! You came!" A bright cheery voice cheered as something knocked into her. Nari lost her breath as arms wrapped around her from behind, picking her up and her feet flinging out, startled by the sudden lift off. Tobi spun her around before setting her down. Nari almost fell over but he pulled her back into a hug, cheering the entire time until she got her bearings again.
"Enough, Tobi!" Deidara whined. "We get you're excited, man."
"I'm glad you decided to come." A voice spoke and Nari looked up at the bassit, Itachi. She blinked at him, just taking in the site. His long silky black hair fell around him freely and his eyes stared into hers. A polite smile graced his thin lips and she took his hand, shaking it. "I'm Itachi," He formally introduced and indicated to Tobi. "This is Tobi. He is our pianist."
"Pianist?" She asked, turning to the cheery man in confusion. He bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet.
"Yeah!" Tobi cheered. "Keyboard, grand piano, if it's got keys I can play it!"
"That's incredible." Nari smiled, in awe of the musical talent. She suddenly felt very unprepared and dread began to sit it. How the hell had she gotten here? A knock came at the door again and Deidara jumped up again to get the door for a second time.
"This has gotta be the food, yeah!" He cheered and pulled it open. The smell of the pizza wafted into the room and her stomach twisted in hunger.
"Let's eat and get you settled." Itachi suggested, placing a hand between her shoulder blades and gently guiding her over to the group that was swarming the pizza boxes on the table. A chill ran down her spine. Nari noticed the group got very physically comfortable very quickly and she decided she didn't mind all that much.
Chatter and laughs floated around, mixed in with sighs of annoyance and swears. Tobi tugged at her jacket, telling her to take it off and unwind. He pulled it off her and ran off to put it away. Some one put a beer in one of her hands and a plate of pizza in the other and before long, she found herself squished on the couch, her thighs pressed against Deidara's and Konan's. The blue haired woman gave her a soft smile and nudge, welcoming her to the group.