New longest story in the series! It turned out sort of the way I wanted it to.

Under the Surface

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Even though she was their closest friend, their trusted teammate, and she knew them better than almost anybody else, it was still hard for her to see it sometimes.

Naruto seemed like he was normally a very open person, except that it was just another facet of his mask. Sasuke didn't bother to hide his mask. Both of their masks had become so much a part of them that people, even close ones like Sakura, had trouble deciphering what was underneath. Personally, Sakura had always thought that being openly affectionate made being in a relationship easier on both people, but apparently Naruto and Sasuke got along just fine without all that. The most touching they did in public were less affectionate than Naruto's behavior around Sakura, and if they could help it neither boy touched each other at all. They were just the same as ever and Sakura wondered sometimes if they were just 'fuck-buddies' or something equally crass, because all they did was fight and snipe at each other and purposely try to push each others buttons to get the other annoyed.

A lot of the times they spent outside of missions or training was alone, or with other people. Sakura never really spent much time with the two of them together just to hang out, and usually if Naruto agreed to go out, Sasuke would immediately turn down Sakura's offer. She got suspicious that maybe they were trying to not spend time with each other. Kakashi didn't know or care why they acted that way, especially since everyone knew they were… something.

No one really knew what to label Sasuke and Naruto's relationship. She supposed 'relationship' was the best term for it. 'Couple' seemed too boy-girl, shoujo ai, fluffy love and romance for the two boys who tried to kill each other once upon a time and now tried to horribly maim each other on a daily basis. 'Lovers' seemed too romantic, passionate love-making, and to be truthful, Sakura wasn't sure how much they'd done sexually, but she was pretty sure they didn't call each other 'lover.' And then there was the lovely term of 'boyfriend' which Sakura personally thought one would kill himself before admitting the other was something like that. Every term Sakura, or Shikamaru (at Sakura's constant insistence until he finally gave in to shut her up), thought of seemed too soft for the two, or too serious, or too fairytale romance and forever love.

Because, despite the fact that they had something Naruto had made it abundantly clear that since Itachi was dead, if Sasuke ever decided to pull that running off crap again the last Uchiha would be brought back in a very tiny body bag containing whatever little bits that could be found.

Even though the two of them had never seemed to spend much time together, Naruto had complained recently, after making sure Sasuke wasn't around, that now that he was studying up on Konoha's laws before Tsunade stepped down and officially named him Rokudaime, the two barely saw each other at all outside of missions. Even their training sessions were suffering; something the two had been doing since they were fifteen. Studying was the reason Sakura was heading over to Naruto's house at all these days, and she had finally found some free time herself and she was bringing work as well as food since Naruto had probably fallen asleep studying again.

Quietly she let herself into his apartment, the front door was unlocked again, and she flipped on the light in the kitchen. Naruto wasn't slumped on the table in his usual spot, head laying on whatever manuscript he was trying to understand. She placed her papers and bag of food on the table, wondering if perhaps he wasn't home, or if he had turned in early for the night. Silently and slowly she made her way to his bedroom door which was slightly ajar and she peeked in, fully expecting to see Naruto passed out on his bed.

Sakura was completely unprepared to see Naruto curled up, head resting on Sasuke's lap, as Sasuke sat up reading through some of Naruto's manuscripts. One of Sasuke's hands was resting on Naruto's back and the Uchiha was reading by the moonlight rather than turning on a lamp.

Sakura smiled a little and backed up. She left the food for two on the table with the papers and let herself back out of Naruto's apartment. Maybe 'couple' was too soft for them, and 'lovers' too harlequin-romance, but they were in some sort of relationship, and Sakura could see it worked for them.

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A/N I really haven't checked this over for errors in grammar or spelling or anything. So feel free to correct me.