Disclaimer: This fanfiction and image used for the cover is merely written for the enjoyment of the author and readers and is in no way associated with the creators or producers of Naruto, no copyright infringement is intended.
Now Sai like his "sister-in-law" Temari had come to somewhat the same understanding. He had never been good with emotions, over the years however he had done a lot of learning. Much of which from his newly now married, wife and head of their clan, Ino Yamanaka. Unlike Temari his knowledge of his wife's bond with her old teammate had not been long-standing, nor was it instantaneous.
At the time he had very recently learned many emotions and come to understand how a person's behaviour doesn't always potaray their feelings. He had come to find Ino maybe looking to spend some time with her since he knew they were both in the village the first tiny clue he had, however, when he had found her on the hill with Shikamaru he had taken note of the small touches and the peaceful sadness that seem to linger behind them even though both people had smiles gracing their features. At the time he thought nothing of it but made a mental note, curious to learn more about that behaviour. When he later asked Ino about it, just in curiosity she had merely smiled at him and said, "Sorry Babe, can't help you there I don't know what you're talking about."
But as time went on he observed more, he saw how his wife would always try to hide the longing that flooded in her eyes whenever September 23 rolled around. The way she would instinctively reach for Shikamaru when they would go out to eat with the Nara and Akimichi. He saw the way the Nara man would seek out his wife's gaze whenever he believed no one to be looking. The way the man was so good at "getting lost in thought," but not really because it was simply his own way of hiding the heartache in his eyes when he couldn't take it anymore.
Sure he was jealous, at least he used to be once he came to this conclusion. But it wasn't just those two he studied. He observed everyone close to them, Temari, Choji, Sakura, and that was ultimately what influenced him. They all saw it but never said anything or did anything. They simply let the two be, so one day he asked Temari because he though, she's probably thought the same as me. How could her, in her case boyfriend love another other than herself. That's just not right… Her answer shed a whole new light, a new concept he had never had a lesson on.
"Sai. Ino does love you. Just in a different way, we will always be their second loves. Maybe even their third if children ever become part of the mix of either family. I know you've seen it. How they interact, how in sync they are. How it's like they complete each other that's because that's just how it's meant to be. We were never part of the plan Sai. It was supposed to be them but life got in the way." He had looked somewhat confused still, all she had said was that his wife was never meant to be his wife… sighing the edge of her lip curved upward.
"Oh I don't know how Ino teaches you these things! I suppose to put it simply, you'll never be able to fill the void you see in her heart Sai. The only person that could ever do that is Shikamaru and obviously that's just isn't possible right now, so the best you can do for her is love her, hold her, and just be there for her. Let her do her best to keep herself together because that's what she needs right now. So either you can accept it for fight it but my suggestion. Just let it be, even if we both tried to fight it there's nothing we could ever do to change the bond those two have."
He had spent night after night pondering Temari's words. Ino was on a mission so he was on his own and after two weeks when she returned he understood and he welcomed her with open arms like always. Looking over at his beloved wife, she was out the window walking back to their home he felt no pain nor did he feel anger or jealousy toward his coworker, fate had given her to Shikamaru from the beginning and she to him. He was simply keeping her safe until he could reach for her again and safe he would keep her.
