She was warm, really warm. No. She was hot, almost like she was laying under a sun lamp. Her head throbbed and even though she was sure she laying down, it felt like everything was spinning. She lolled her head to the side and grunted in pain. There was light and even though her eyes were closed, it made her head hurt worse.
"Good morning." She heard someone say. The voice sounded familiar but she couldn't quite place the name. Where the hell was she? Nari slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the bright obnoxious light. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked around. The man who had spoken to her was Pein and she blinked at him in surprise. He was sitting in a beach chair, leaned back with a book in his lap. He looked at her over his reading glasses, watching her. "It's technically the afternoon." He told her but it didn't really register. She was already trying to figure out how she got there.
"I'm on the beach." She said mostly to herself as she took in the sights. People were scattered around them, laughing, resting, playing in the ocean as the waves roared and crashed against the sand. The thump of a ball being struck pulled her attention to those playing volley ball. Nari smirked to herself. "I'm getting better at this."
"Excuse me?" Pein asked raising his eyebrows in surprise. Had this happened before?
"Nari!" Someone called before they dropped to the sand next to her. "Guess you're not dead."
"Sorry to disappoint." Nari teased her friend and she brought her hand to her face to try to rub the sleep away but was startled when she knocked the sun glasses she hadn't realized she was wearing. That made her realize something. She looked down and found she was wearing a swim suit and her head spun. She looked to Pein for help but he just shrugged at her, not really sure why she was looking at him. He watched as Nari turned to her friend. "Temari, what happened?" The blond woman laughed at her.
"What do you think?" Temari laughed and shook her head. "Oh, boy. Just drink some water and lay back down before you get sick." The blond woman teased and placed her hand on Nari's forehead, pushing her back down.
"Nari!" Someone cheered as they dropped to their knees near her. Someone opened a cooler near her and she sat up once more, the world spinning. "How are you feeling?" Tobi asked her.
"Hey, welcome back to the world of the living, yeah." Deidara greeted her, leaning over and putting his hands on his knees.
"Hey!" Hidan called from off in the distance and they all looked over at him. He and a few others stood off to the side, playing volley ball. Kisame stood next to him, the ball resting between his hip and arm. "That bitch up yet?" He shouted through cupped hands. "How fucking hard did she go last night?"
"I don't think she even knows how she got here, yeah!" Deidara called back and Hidan roared with laughter. Nari just extended her hand and flipped him the bird. She flinched when someone pressed a cold water bottle to her arm but took it, cracking it open.
"Better drink up, we're doing it all again tonight." Temari warned her with a grin.
"You're trying to kill me." Nari accused as she drank some water. Dread churned in her stomach. Something wasn't quite right. "What happened last night?"
"Wait, you seriously don't remember?" Temari asked, giggling and Nari just looked at her through her sunglasses. Temari's giggling turned into full blown laughter. "Oh my god, when did you turn into such a light weight?"
"Damn, I was looking forward to hearing about what kind of trouble you can get into, yeah." Deidara teased.
"Nari's a good girl! Nari doesn't get in trouble!" Tobi came to her defense and she smiled at him.
"Thank you, Tobi." Nari said pointedly. "At least someone loves me." Tobi giggled and hugged her around her shoulders, making her laugh.
"Come on!" Kisame shouted, getting their attention. "We're waiting on you guys!"
Pulsing music in the dark mixed with the buzz of the alcohol. The lights flashing all different colors blinded her, but she didn't need to see. Her flushed face was grinning and her heart raced with adrenaline. Her body was one of the many in the mass of dancing people.
The cold water of the ocean crashed against her skin, the cold immediately soothing the heat. She had no doubt she'd be sun burnt, but that wasn't what was on her mind. It came to her waist and she could hear her friend's laughing at and yelping at the cold, but her focus was on the wave heading for them. The wave rose and swelled and she dove through it, rising on the other side. As she opened her eyes there was another wave and she dove again.
She'd been black out drunk before and she didn't doubt she blacked out last night. Something didn't sit right with her. Even though she was home, surrounded by people she knew and trusted with her life, she didn't quite feel safe.
She dove again, letting the roaring water pass over her until she came up on the other side. What was this tightness in her chest? What was this dread?
Nari burst from the water and took in a breath, her lungs sucking in the salty air. Her eyes opened and took in the sight of the undulating water and the infinite horizon before her. Her body was rocked by the water and for a moment the desire to swim to that edge of reality floated through her.
Why did she feel so unsafe? Why was there warnings going off in her head like sirens? What the hell was she afraid of? In her head all she could hear was danger, danger, danger, but these are people she trusted and loved, people should die for.
Though, it wasn't as though that trust had been betrayed by others before.
He rapes you.
She dove again before the wave and reality came crashing down on her. How could he say that? How could he sit there so calmly as though that sentence wouldn't ruin everything? Nari rose from the water once more but before she could take a breath, a wave crashed into her, forcing her under. Nari waited, letting the pressure toss her around before she rose once more, taking in a breath. She only had moments before another wave crashed into her. Panic shot through her for a brief moment, but it didn't stay long. She felt the course sand under her and pushed off for the surface. She took in a breath and dove through the next wave, getting away from the breakers where she could think in peace.
Nari's head buzzed and raced with thoughts. He rapes you.
No, he doesn't.
Sex with him makes you fucking hate yourself. You try to fucking scrub your skin off after but you can't ever seem to wash it off.
No, it doesn't. It can't. She loved Eric, they were just going through a rough patch. Once he got a new job it'll be ok. He'll smoke less. She'll set firmer boundaries and stick to her guns. She'll make it work but for now she had other priorities. Nari had to figure out what was wrong, what was making her feel so unsafe. She had to figure it out so she could keep her friends safe. There was something wrong.
The thought of her friends made her realize something. She couldn't hear them. She couldn't hear Temari's or Tobi's laugh. She couldn't hear them splashing around near her. She didn't hear anyone close by. Nari turned and her whole body went cold when she realized how far out she was. She could see them, standing on the beach, hands cupped over their mouths and waving to her, trying to get her attention, but she couldn't hear them.
"Shit," she breathed to herself and began to swim back to the shore. Nari kicked herself for being so easily distracted. It was a miracle she didn't get swept out to sea. She dove under, letting a wave pass over her, letting the current push her back to shore. When she broke the surface, she could see some of her friends heading back to their spot. Temari and Konan were waiting for her, smiles on their faces.
Why did those smiles hurt to look at?
Nari turned and looked at Konan. The blue haired woman was smiling and laughing, singing along with the music as she danced in the crowd. Nari squeezed her hand, her other hand laced together with one of Temari's. They had left the boys in the dust for the night, using Shikamaru as their designated driver.
"What a drag," He lamented, but they didn't care. They knew he didn't mind.
"Thought you were trying to swim away." Tamari teased as Nari walked out of the water. "You alright? You look like something's bothering you."
"I think I'm just hungry." Nari offered a weak smile and tired laugh. "I need to fuel up if you want me to do that again."
"You also need water." Konan reminded her, taking her hand and pulling her along. "Last thing we need is you drinking yourself to death."
"Glad to see you got someone looking out for you." Temari laughed as she walked with them. Nari was relieved when the two got along so well. They seemed like two peas in a pod. Both intimidated the hell out of Nari, but they both also inspired her. She wanted to be like them. They were strong, brave, stable. They knew their worth and their power. The two were ambitious and stubborn. Where did they get the strength? "Honestly, I was a little worried when you told me you were moving to the city."
"Temari, I grew up in Suna, how bad could any other city be?" Nari asked as their feet crossed the burning sand.
"Well, yeah, but here you've got us." Temari said as she looked over to the red head. "And you don't have Leo watching out for you anymore. How is he, by the way? Do the doctors still think he'll wake up?"
"Oh, yeah." Nari lied with a bright smile. Konan looked at her over her shoulder, almost startled at how easily the lie came to her. "They keep telling me there's a chance, so I guess all we can do is wait."
The three girls stumbled out of the club, arms wrapped around each other as they laughed. Shikamaru was guiding them away from the door and down the sidewalk to the parking lot. From the outside, it looked like the three had known each other for years, as though time and distance didn't matter.
The smell of food alerted the girls and Shikamaru quickly found himself following them down the street away from the parking lot and instead towards some late night restaurants.
"What a drag," He had complained before pulling out a carton of cigarettes and lighting one. The three girls didn't care about is complaint, they had their hearts set on some greasy food.
Nari could hardly taste the fries she ate. She drank some water, trying to hydrate and take care of herself. Her bare feet felt the worn wood of the board walk and she could already feel the sunburn on her cheeks. Sea gulls flew overhead and idle chatter surrounded them as people walked by. The dread wouldn't leave and even though her arm was linked with Deidara's and Tobi's she felt so…distant. She tried not to think about it.
"Hidan, stop feeding the sea gulls." Kakuzu called gruffly to the silver haired man in front of them as he tossed fries to the birds. "Wasteful jack ass." Nari snorted.
"Don't worry, he'll get what's coming to him." Shikamaru said as he trailed behind. The worn wood turned to burning sand under their feet as they walked over to their spot. Pein was still sitting under his umbrella, book in hand, glasses on his face. Towels were laid out all over the place and Nari returned to the one she had woken up on.
"Welcome back." Sasori greeted them and Nari passed him his cup of fries. "Thank you for getting them."
"No problem!" Nari told him cheerily.
"They got back in the water!" Tobi whined, pointing to Kisame, Itachi, and Zetsu who were enjoying the cool water. "They said they'd wait!" He whined before taking off, leaving his food behind.
"I hope they don't stay too long." Temari spoke with a smug smile. "Once these birds get a taste of food, they don't let up." She and Shikamaru sat on a towel together. Others found their spots, taking a break from all the fun in the sun. Deidara sat with his boyfriend and Nari watched them with a smile. Sasori put up a good front, and when she first met him, she genuinely wondered if he disliked Diedara. But, after seeing them together, it was hard to deny the love there.
Konan sat in another chair next to Pein. Nari wondered if he brought it for her. Konan gave him such a soft smile and she watched as their fingers brushed when she passed him his food. The two weren't so blatant, but if you watch closely, Nari noticed, they took every chance they could to touch. Often times it was so subtle, hands held or knees touching when they sat. Pein was so stoic and serious but she could see the love he held in his eyes when he looked at Konan.
Their love was true. The bond between them was so similar to Temari and Shikamaru's relationship. The two met in high school even though they were from different schools. It started out as a rivalry but it seemed to end once they graduated. Everything was a drag to him and he loved to complain, but Nari saw the smirks and humored glances he shot Temari's way.
"Fuck off you winged rats!" Hidan flapped his arms at the crowd of seagulls that swarmed him and several of the group members laughed at his self-inflicted misfortune.
"He warned you!" Temari shouted to him through her laughs. Nari smiled and watched as Tobi and the other three walked up. Tobi ran through the crowd of seagulls, trying to help as he flapped his arms and shouted random noises, trying to scare them away. They were quite a pair, the two of them. Both were rushing through the swarm, trying to shoo the birds away. They got odd looks from those passing by but they didn't care, they wanted the birds gone.
"Thank you for the food." Itachi said as he stopped in front of her, grabbing one of the cups of fries. She just offered him a smile as he sat on his towel. Zetsu had dropped onto a nearby towel and she grabbed one of the cups of fries for him and passed it to him. He eyed it for a moment before looking at her. Nari looked at him, a little confused but before she could ask he took it from her with a nod of thanks.
"Look at these two idiots." Kisame said as he stood in front of them, opting to stay in the sun, his hands on his hips and a grin on his face as he watched the two swat at seagulls.
"They might be idiots," Kakuzu grumbled from his chair in the shade, "but they're our idiots."