Real friends are the ones you can count on no matter what. The ones who go into the forest to find you and bring you home. And real friends never have to tell you that they're your friends.
- Mindy Kaling

Chouji and Ino were Shikamaru's oldest friends, their families close enough that they felt more like sibling pack mates than teammates. Their parents were close too. So close that Shikamaru and Ino were almost born on the same day. It was a playful tease that the shadow nin used against the kunoichi that he was still older than she was, even if it was less than a day.

There was a window to present with your secondary gender, and it rarely happened on your birthday. Generally a few days before or a few days after, you would express. For Ino, she expressed two weeks early and it kind of became a joke that Shikamaru was just too lazy to do so when his birthday had come and gone, nothing was worrisome, yet. A month was typically the longest window, but not completely unheard of. When it had been almost two months though, Shikaku and Yoshino had gotten concerned.

Sakura had started hanging around them after that. She'd been the first to know because she had been in there. Shikamaru supposed she could relate to him because he felt like he was being left behind. It made it easier, having someone to talk to that just knew and she helped him tell Ino and Chouji. She had already started to fit when she expressed that spring and it became clear that her and Ino were meant to be.

Despite all of this, the Akimichi Heir found it funny that Shikamaru was completely unaware of his own feelings when it came to Naruto. A genius he may be, but the Nara was completely oblivious, and it seemed the blond was too. Perhaps it was good that neither of them acted on their feelings considering Naruto's true mate was Sasuke. Years of knowing the Nara meant Chouji knew that had they been together and then Naruto left him for Sasuke, they might not have gotten him back out of that hole of depression.

Looking at his face now as Temari pulled away from him made him wonder if he was going to make it this time.

The wedding was beautiful, but of course it was since Ino had planned it. They had decided to get married in early spring. The Yamanaka Alpha wouldn't say why, but Chouji and Shikamaru knew it was because the Sakura trees were blooming. The blond was completely smitten on the pink-haired medic and it was obvious the omega felt the same. They truly were perfect for each other and they had never seen Ino glow so much. Aside from the sakura trees, white and purple flowers donned the benches and both of the brides had bouquets to match. Inoichi's absence was felt, but her teammates were happy to give her away and stand at her side. Naruto, Sai, and Sasuke stood by Sakura's side though her father had walked her down the aisle.

The reception, in Chouji's opinion, was even better but that was because his family had catered the food. All of their friends were there and it was easy to see just how much Sakura and Ino were loved. Even Temari had come as Shikamaru's plus one and his best friend didn't seem happier. The only thing missing for Team Ten this day was their sensei. For all of his aloofness and lack of expression, Chouji knew that Asuma's death had hit Shikamaru the hardest. He knew that Shikamaru still blamed himself, blamed his cowardice for their mentor's early death, even if there was nothing that could have been done. It was nice to see the shadows gone from his friend's face, even if it was just for today.

Because at the end of the day…

Temari smelled like she belonged to someone and that someone was not Shikamaru.

Chouji was on his second serving of cake when he saw it. Two sets of eyes, one azure and the other onyx, were fixated on the shadow-nin. The conversation was too low for the redhead to make out, but their eyes spoke volumes. Ino-Shika-Cho was a team that surpassed generations and it was the Akimichi's job to protect his teams. Often times, that meant seeing threats before they could get to them and by now, he felt he was damn good at it. Despite seeing their eyes full of longing, the edges going soft as they looked at his teammate, Chouji did something uncharacteristic of himself. Setting his half-eaten cake aside, he grabbed four beers (because the way things were going, Shikamaru would be joining them soon) and moved to sit beside the two alphas.

"The last time two alphas looked at my teammate so closely, they tried to kill him." Chouji shared two of the beers he had grabbed and took a sip of his own. He didn't miss the way the Uchiha raised an eyebrow and Naruto sagged beside him, knowing they were caught. "Kakuzu and Hidan are both dead now, but I don't think you two are looking at him in the same light."

"Are we that obvious?" Naruto laughed nervously as Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You couldn't be subtle if you tried, Dobe."

"Shut up, Teme."

"You boys are all loud," Ino chimed in as the two newlyweds walked up. "What are you being obvious about?"

The Akimichi heir hid his grin behind his drink as the blond beside him flushed in embarrassment. Ino was even more observant than he was and if she hadn't noticed already, she would soon. This allowed his dark gaze to shift back to his best friend just in time to watch Temari pull away. Frowning, he watched Shikamaru quietly pull himself together. The brief meeting of their eyes told him enough, and Choji merely offered the extra beer in offering before watching the Nara turn back to the Princess of the Sand.

The bench the three of them were sitting on was big enough that all four of them could sit comfortably, even if they couldn't spread out, so when Shikamaru finally approached them, Choji slid down, offering the space between him and Naruto. What he didn't expect was for the blond to follow him and instead offer the space between him and Sasuke. Ino-Shika-Cho had always been a close pack, even as children. Sakura became a part of the pack before she expressed, having been one of the few outside of the pack to know about the genius. Naruto had eventually joined their pack when he got back sometime around the death of his mentor. Choji wasn't sure what happened, but Shikamaru and he had become closer and Naruto had been another to know. Sasuke wasn't quite a part of their pack, not yet and something in Choji yanked at him to pull his best friend close to him. Instead, he watched as Shikamaru slumped between the two alphas and accepted the beer silently. He and the two women traded a look but didn't speak up.

Shikamaru hadn't been privy to the prior conversation before he slumped down on the bench, but the beer on his tongue was cold and it gave him something to do rather than face the pitying looks around him. Luckily, by luck or by the fact his friends understood, Sakura leaned forward and flicked both of her teammates in the nose.

"Oi, both of you bakas are sitting here and not allowing two beautiful women to sit down," she barked without the bite her tone held when her teammates were actually in trouble. Both alphas yelped at his side and held their noses. Despite being a minor flick, Sakura was frighteningly strong but Shikamaru sent her a grateful look over his bottle anyway. At first, Shikamaru couldn't stand the pink-haired medic, but then, he could barely stand Ino despite them having grown up together. It seemed all women he knew were just like his mom, troublesome and in the Academy, Sakura and Ino both had been obsessed with Sasuke. He didn't start appreciating her presence until his parents made him go to the hospital after he never expressed.

"It's rare, but there are some cases in which someone never expresses." She said, her blond brow furrowed in concentration. The rest of the room fell into silence. "It happens often enough that they're filed as a neutral." Another pause as Tsunade looked around the room. "It's a benefit for shinobi. Their biology doesn't plot against them and they're not influenced by hormones. It's not a bad thing, Shikamaru. At least you won't have to buy scent blockers."

He didn't feel lucky and despite Sakura coming over to sit by him and check on him, he couldn't help but overhear his parents and Tsunade.

"It's possible he won't be able to give an heir for your clan, and it's entirely possible that a relationship could be difficult. There are a lot of possibilities here. Just hope for the best and be prepared for the worst."

His mind only heard one thing. Unlovable.

Shikamaru had been surprised when it had been her that crawled into his room the next night. He'd given himself time to process everything, his own parents keeping it quiet until he was ready. Outside of the three of them, only Tsunade and Sakura were aware and in hindsight, he realized it was likely his parents encouraged Sakura that it was okay to come into his room.

"Hey, scoot over. It's cold." He'd jerked upright at the sound of her voice, hand automatically reaching for the kunai beneath his pillow before he had processed who it was.

"S-sakura?" The name was punched out of him, his voice ragged from crying.

"Of course dummy. You didn't join us for barbeque because you were asleep. Ino and Chouji said you didn't show up for training today so we came to check on you." His eyes widened at her words and he reached out to grab her shoulder.

"You didn't tell them, did you?"

"Of course not. You can when you're ready, but they're being insufferable. Their packmate is not feeling well so they needed to be close to him. Alphas," she rolled her eyes, something that made his lips twitch despite the dark room. "Anyway, I figured I'd tag along and I convinced them to let me check on you first in case you were contagious. If you want them gone, I can tell them you're highly contagious and have hives on your face. That would get Ino-pig out of here faster," she laughed softly and he found himself grinning in response. "Otherwise, your mom let us put a large futon in the living room and said we could have a sleepover. I won't let them hog the covers, and you don't have to tell them, but if you do want to, I can stay too."

He found himself reaching out to her to tug her close and bury his face in her neck. His mom had always held him that way when he was younger and he once again sought out comfort when he was in pain. Her birthday was in a few months and for that moment in time, they were the same. He let himself have this.

"You'll stay if I tell them?" He said several moments later.

"And beat them both if they can't be nice, I promise." He found himself laughing, the sound watery.

"Okay," he murmured, glad that she had come. They had never been close before, but after that night, he found himself seeking out her company. When she expressed and became Ino's mate, it felt right for her to be a part of their close-knit pack.

Shikamaru was brought back to the present as the pink-haired medic practically fell into his side, Ino on her other side. Apparently, she had succeeded in convincing the two alphas to stand and he found himself grinning at their confused glances as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Happy, Imouto-Chan?" The Nara Genius spoke, for now the despair melting away as he was surrounded by family. He felt Ino grab his hand on Sakura's shoulder and give it a squeeze.

"Of course, Onii-chan. I'm one lucky girl."

"Nah, Ino is the lucky one, don't let her tell you any different. And you're doing Choji and I favor by getting her off of our hands." Shikamaru winced as his hand was squeezed a little harder, but Sakura and Choji's laughter soothed over the tease.

"You're lucky I know I'm lucky, Shikamaru," Ino sniffed.

"You guys are all…really close." It had been easy to forget that others weren't privy to their dynamic and Naruto and Sasuke were no different, despite being Sakura's teammates. He didn't say it, despite wanting to tell Naruto and Sasuke that when the two alphas had left, their third teammate needed people she could rely on.

Shikamaru merely shrugged before holding up his nearly empty beer. "To the girls on our teams who always knocked some sense into us guys. May they take care of each other in ways they always saved our asses." A drink to the girls and conversation melted back into the way it was before he had ambled over. A few minutes later when other wedding guests were vying for the couple's attention, Shikamaru found his beer empty and him standing.
"Have fun on your honeymoon, enjoy your vacation. The rest of us miscreants will wallow in our work," he teased before giving them both a hug and leaving the party.

Choji had the front row seat when Ino and Sakura caught the other two alphas staring at the genius as he left. Their eyes snapped to each other in silent conversation, finally agreeing on something before Sakura reached up and grabbed their ears, tugging them close.

"Really?" She admonished, crossing her arms.

"Sakura-chan, we don't know what you mean, we weren't staring at him." Sasuke had been the intelligent one and remained quiet, but had outed them easily. Sasuke barely refrained from facepalming. The pink-haired kunoichi's green eyes narrowed as she looked at the two men.

"No," she ordered and Ino looked like she was ready to chime in as well but Sakura's parents came over and commanded the newlyweds attention. With a sigh, Choji drained his beer and stood.

"They'll get over it. They didn't see the way you were looking at him earlier. Take it slow and don't hurt him and they'll come around." Chouji shrugged. "Tell Ino and Sakura I left with Shikamaru." The Akimichi walked back to the table to get another piece of cake before leaving the Alphas to their thoughts.