Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

REVISED 5/30/2015

All posted chapters have been revised. This basically involved cleaned up typos, rewording a little dialogue, fixing a messed up name and correcting a continuity error. While there are very likely still errors because I'm not perfect, these should be a little cleaner. I have redone all that was already posted in order to get myself back in the game of writing. I know it's been getting close to a year now since I've last updated, but I am working on it. Life happened and I'm sorry but I'm back. And if it makes you feel better, my little sister is going to be badgering me to update and since I live with this person and I'll want her off my back, it is likely that you will get more frequent updates now.

No Thanks Necessary

Chapter 1

Shikamaru always thought that he was an observant person.

Mostly because it gave him something to do when he was ignoring whatever lesson was being taught in the classes that he was presently trying to nap through. He knew this stuff already so what would be the point of actually following class? Instead he caught up on his sleep, occasionally cut, but most often feigned sleeping while keeping a critical eye on the people around him. It seemed more practical to him than to waste his time on the lessons because you learned who people really were by watching them when they didn't know they we being studied. It's only then that you can see natural reactions and behaviors. The little ticks and triggers of each person that may be only minor things, but as a unique marker to a specific person can speak volumes.

That was how he learned how desperately out of place the pink-haired Sakura Haruno felt in this class with an unusually high number of clan kids, many of whom were the children of the heads of their respective clans. Not coming from any kind of ninja background of any renown, the young girl dove into her books determined to be the perfect ninja and learn everything and be just as good as those with a family background.

That was how he learned of the not so subtle crush the Hyuuga heiress Hinata had on the loudmouth blonde Naruto Uzumaki. Not that she hid it particularly well, but Shikamaru knew weeks ahead of the other kids. And dang if he could every figure out that attraction.

He also noticed that some days, with no pattern or reason that he could see, Naruto would be more upbeat and yet somehow calmer at the same time. And for the life of him Shikamaru couldn't think of what it would mean or what the cause could be that would make the smile switch from spastic grin to something so genuine it was heartbreaking. That particular observation always made Shikamaru's brain hurt and his chest tight. As far and above his classmates as he was, the Nara heir had no frame of reference to give words to the emotions that would sweep through him as he reflected on the change in behavior. The blonde would sit without fidgeting in his seat, actually paying attention to their lectures and even taking notes. Shikamaru was the one who couldn't sit still those days.

This was also his first glimpse of the unfair treatment said blonde received almost universally around their village. Thankfully their main teacher, Iruka Umino, seemed to view the boy as any other student, but their other teachers, for taijutsu or shuriken practice, seemed to have something out for the boy. Shikamaru himself had corrected Naruto's grip on the lethal little metal stars once after he noticed that it would be incredibly easy for the blonde to chop his own fingers off if he continued to throw as he had been once they started using sharpened weapons, not dulled practice ones. Naruto had protested that sensei had shown him that specially, but finally tried Shikamaru's way after seeing the Nara's significantly better accuracy than his own dismal attempts.

The same thing happened with taijutsu. Shikamaru had watched out of the corner of his eye with growing incredulity as the instructor forced Naruto into a stance that would render the blonde rather easy to throw off balance and was almost asking for the kid to get his ass kicked. Which Kiba Inuzuka had promptly done in a quick spar a few minutes later, and it was quick. Two moves had Naruto eating dirt and Kiba claiming victory.

His multitudes of observations of his classmates throughout their school days also showed him how interesting, in the same manner of a puzzle, the brash Inuzuka was as well. That was how he learned that some days Kiba Inuzuka came to school looking more lethargic than the Nara himself, in the same clothes as the day before. Oddly though, on those days Kiba was one of the first students there, and usually one of the last to leave, trudging out of the doors at the end of the day, shoulders slumped over and feet dragging as he began to make his way home. On those days Kiba's homework had failed to be completed and the boy couldn't even be convinced to cut classes. He was more like a Nara than an Inuzuka those days, just putting his head down in class, and feigned sleep much like Shikamaru often did, rather than focus on the lessons being presented.

And the Nara also noticed that this behavior was displaying itself with alarmingly increasing frequency.

And finally, it was after a month of observation, on the day of that spar when Kiba sent Naruto into the dirt with rapidity, that Shikamaru noticed the connection.

It was Kiba holding out his hand to the blonde and Naruto taking it instantaneously, and without anger to be helped back to his feet. There was mild frustration on his face, but only at having lost. Normally, Naruto would jump up and point his finger at the classmate that had beaten him, declare himself the next Hokage and lay down another challenge. This was such a common occurrence in their classes that Shikamaru was already preparing himself to tune it out.

But not this time. Instead, the blonde just screwed his brows together as though trying to figure out what went wrong. Kiba leaned closer for just an instant and said something to Naruto as an uncharacteristically serious face slid into place on the blonde. Then Kiba walked away with a small wave that could have been just a jerk of the hand to anyone who wasn't paying attention, to challenge someone else and Shikamaru watched as Naruto, all alone, dropped into his stance again and began to shift it in small ways until he had something approaching decent.

Shikamaru had smiled and re-focused back on his own spar which he had actually won, but found himself absurdly happy that someone else was watching out for Naruto, because he was sure that Kiba had told the Uzumaki how to correct his stance. And the behavior wasn't a surprise to Naruto either.

That surprised Shikamaru a bit. The two gave no impression of being anything more than members of the same class. So that Naruto and Kiba clearly had something other relationship going on was rather surprising to the Nara.

And he was interested in trying to figure it out.