Nerves

He tried as hard as he could to break away from his thoughts. He tried listening to the joyful, rambunctious lot chattering away in the room behind him, tried focusing in on the roar of the rain falling down around him, even tried to listen for the distant clamor of the civilians in town.

Yet it seemed like nothing could break through his unrelenting thoughts.

The more his mind wandered, the farther it stretched, the cloudier it got. He could swear on his life he felt like wire was scratching at his insides. He felt light-headed, chest on fire, finger tips numbs as he clutched and released at his tense shoulders. Tomorrow was so important. How could they all feel so carefree when so much was at stake...?

He paid no mind to the shift of the wooden door behind him, nor the soft footsteps headed in his direction. The young woman's eyes gazed across the young man's hunched back and slumped shoulders. His red hair hung like a curtain, casting a shadow over his pinched brows. She slowly rounded him, until she gently took a seat at his side. His eyes were trained on the ground a little ways ahead of them, glossy and worried.

Konan took in a deep breath before calmly letting the air go. She knew this routine.

A slender pale hand moved to rest on the young man's shoulder.

"Nagato," She said quietly, grey eyes watching his every move. He started, flinching slightly at being drawn out from his stupor.

"Yes?" He replied, voice short and strained. He blinked, but didn't look her way.

"You're nervous about tomorrow, aren't you...?" She said softly, as if speaking to a child. A shaky breath slipped past his lips, his whole frame shuttering slightly from the action. Her eyes watched the cloud of warm air seep away before vanishing.

"Yeah..." He whispered, finally beginning to release some of his pent up stress. Konan hummed, nodding before turning her head toward the rainy land in front of them.

"There's no need, Nagato," Konan started, voice smooth and low, "You are smart, and you are responsible. You know how to make good decisions. And also," She started, returning her gaze to his, "You aren't alone." She smiled at him then, and he felt as if a great weight had lifted from his shoulders.

"No matter Hanzō's decision, we'll be together. Things will work out in the end, no matter what."

With that, Konan lifted her palm from his body, stood, and returned back inside without a sound. Nagato sat for a moment, his mind clear, and listened to the sounds all around him – the rain, his friends and makeshift family. Warmth seemed to seep into his chest then, and his eyes stung in a familiar fashion.

They never failed to comfort him.