"Inside out"
by: solstice rhapsody 09

Warning: I guess chara's OOC-ness, language, yaoi/shounen-ai, cursing, some Naruto and Sasuke pov's, blah blah blah.

Disclaimer: This fic is MINE, the plot is also MINE, the characters are also MINE, bwahahahahahaha- ok, reality check, the original ain't mine. BUT, this Naruto here belongs to- Sasuke?

READ:

1) Sasuke is not really as horny as he seems to be...he's just a bit aggressive and maybe misunderstood, the upcoming chapters will soon explain this statement. XD

2) Gaara will have a little behavior transformation and I'm still thinking if I should turn his childhood a bit 'sad'

3) I guess readers will soon spot a pink cockroach roaming around my fic (If you know what I mean)...that pink cockroach will add up the spice to the story AND don't worry, 'it' will only give a slight damage to our beloved characters...-smirks-

A.N.: Well, this might be a longer chapter...consider it an apology for not updating earlier or a bonus or something else, hehehe...I was having a 'writers block' and as I was constantly editing this chapter over and over again, I thought that I have the mighty keyboard and my mighty fingers and my talented(?) imagination...bwahahahaha! and I have full control on my story so it doesn't matter how long it would turn out!

bwahahaha! -gets wacked in the head by Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara-

Gaara, Sasuke, Naruto: "Get on with the story!"

author: "Hai..." -cries and gets on with the story-

Chapter 4: "Behind a scarlet piece"

I felt the lights rays piercing my eyes and I've felt warm, very warm. My eyes urged to open up and it just felt really heavy but I managed to, much to my surprise, Sasuke and I are...cuddling?

OhMyGod! OhMyFuckingGod!

I held back my hands from embracing him and at the same time pushing away his hands from my waist tightly clutched, I could almost feel my whole body pressed against him. I stumbled down the bed landing my back on a not so comfortable 'tud!'

"Ow, that hurt" Naruto said rubbing his butt and at the same time rubbed his eyes from the 'morning glories' he had.

Sasuke slightly awoken by the commotion, raised his weakened body and looked down on the cold floor where Naruto had fallen. "What are you doing there, dobe?" the raven haired boy asked not really having the enthusiasm in his voice while rubbing his still sleepy eyes. 'It's already eleven in the morning...' Sasuke thought glancing at the wall clock.

"Why were you cuddling me in my sleep?" Naruto accused.

"Me? You were the one who started it" Sasuke pointed out remembering last nights' incident.

"ME! How could it be me? I just woke up and then we were cuddling!"

"See? 'we' were cuddling...it's your fault" Sasuke stated stretching the word 'we' while looking away, "you started seducing me last night."

"How would I possibly seduce you! Hm?" Naruto asked putting his arms on his hips.

"..." Sasuke was speechless, he didn't really wanted to tell Naruto 'what' actually happened last night and 'what' did he do after it, Sasuke threw a pillow aiming Naruto's face, "Stop pretending."

He headed for the bathroom and accidentally glanced at the toilet, he quickly ignored the thought and took his toothbrush from the sink. On the other side, Naruto was confused of what Sasuke was actually saying, "Stop pretending?" he mused and thought about what the hell it really meant.

"Hey, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled outside the open door of the bathroom where he faces Sasuke's back, "what do you mean 'stop pretending'?"

Sasuke just shrugged his shoulders and continued brushing his teeth. "Oi! I said, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled once more, Sasuke just ignoring him.

He kept silent for the moment until Sasuke was finished, Naruto didn't say another word but just came inside the bathroom after Sasuke exited and do the same, he had his toothbrush and took a bath.

Inside the bathroom, Naruto was massaging the shampoo on his blonde hair, he was thinking about a while ago, when he was about to enter the bathroom, Sasuke came out first before he could enter and the Uchiha was drying his tamed hair with a towel while another towel covering his waist- which was actually low waist. Naruto never thought of Sasuke's body for a very long time, well except for 3 years ago when Sasuke took his shirt off and attempted on forcing Naruto on having sex- but luckily Sasuke didn't succeeded on raping the blonde, but the blonde sure did kept distant from Sasuke for weeks until one day he finally forgave Sasuke's dirty deed.

Sasuke's body matured a bit, he's become more fit and the slight forming abs on his tummy was slightly showing off too. 'Sasuke really looks hot back there' Naruto thought but quickly shrugged it off and continued on his bath, 'why am I thinking of those things!'

When Naruto came out of the door, Sasuke was leaning on the other side of the wall wherein he's facing the bathroom door where Naruto just came out. Naruto was startled seeing Sasuke intently looking, he took a hard grip on his orange towel and felt awkward, "Sasuke...what the hell are looking at?" Naruto asked weakly.

'If I haven't known you for years, I would've thought you as a girl right now' Sasuke thought not taking away his look on Naruto's slender form.

As if Naruto had read the Uchiha's thoughts, he blushed a bit and fumed, "Stop looking, pervert."

"Cheh..." Sasuke pretended not affected and turned a slight pink on his cheeks feeling awkward from what Naruto had said and decided to turn away. The blonde hurriedly headed towards his room hiding his embarrasment, and quickly changes clothes.

When Naruto came out of his room, he heard a kettles' sound brewing. He quickly glanced at the kitchen and saw Sasuke turning off the stove. "Don't you have anything else to eat here except for ramen?" Sasuke asked not looking back, Naruto was surprised, and he never thought that Sasuke felt his presence.

"Well, yeah" Naruto replied heading towards the Uchiha, "don't tell me you don't know how to eat those stuff?"

"I'm not like you" Sasuke mocked, "dobe."

"Oi, who you calling dobe?" Naruto pouted.

Sasuke just smirk at the expected reaction, he searched through the cupboards and found dozens of instant ramens and grab one, took the kettle from the stove and poured it unto his ramen, Naruto following the same.

The Uchiha sat beside the old furnished table and ate peacefully.

"You do know why I'm all dressed up today, don't you?" Naruto wondered while constantly asking himself a while ago.

"Another date with that red head" Sasuke replied intently staring at the surface of the table.

'Eh,' Naruto sweat dropped, 'so he really did heard the whole thing last night.'

"I'm coming along," Sasuke uttered finishing his ramen.

"What!" Naruto exclaimed jumping from his seat.

Sasuke just stared at him and Naruto with a blank face when suddenly, the sound of the doorbell rung the empty room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expectantly, the first thing ever that'd encounter the blonde's eyes would be a certain red haired green-eyed guy.

"Ready?" Gaara greeted more like asking.

"Uhm, ano," Naruto scratched the back of his head trying to explain, "well, there's this slight problem we have."

An arm suddenly lay on the blonde's shoulder, "I'm coming along."

The red head and the raven-haired boy took where they left off- glaring. Sasuke met eye contact with Gaara and sparks do came animatedly on both eyes, glaring, mentally waging wars and killing each other.

'Here they go again,' Naruto thought puffing, not really wanting the current situation, "hey, are we going to the amusement park or are you going to mentally kill each other here?"

Finally, the both had stopped from their previous act, Naruto just sighing. The blonde came back to where he left his empty cup of ramen and threw it inside the trash can and coming out of his apartment to lock the doors, wherein Gaara and Sasuke ignored each other until the blonde came in sight.

"Come on, let's go!" Naruto excitedly uttered raising one of his arms and started to walk not waiting for the both to catch up. Gaara look past Naruto to Sasuke, he took a long look (more likely a glare) at Sasuke and followed the blonde while saying something to himself that it almost seemed like he was whispering.

The Uchiha followed glowering at Gaara while walking silently, hands on his pockets.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It made Naruto excited from the thought of going to an amusement park, it was supposedly scheduled at night but Naruto tried changing plans because he thought it wouldn't be nice if he left Sasuke alone in his apartment...so he asked Gaara to pick him up around 1:00 p.m., but it seems Gaara came too early.

Naruto had fun but it doesn't seem like Sasuke and Gaara were too happy. The blonde hasn't got tired out of almost everything. It was quite fun though Gaara and Sasuke were always starting a fight or mock each other throughout it all but it was a good thing Naruto was there to stop the two from scaring people around. Sasuke had some troubles keeping a close eye on the blonde because of Gaara and some girls who had just seen him and kaboom! They somehow turned into instant stalkers- I mean, fans...just like the old days at school when some swarming girls (and even some boys) established the 'Sasuke fan club' which is still active up until now at Naruto's school. (Way you go 'Sasuke fan club'...you've got new members!)

Naruto turned around to check the both when they finally hop out of the roller coaster, "Isn't it fun?" he beamed a smile.

Sasuke and Gaara, interrupted while they were mentally murdering each other, turned their heads towards the blonde and just nod and then continued the disrupted fight.

Naruto scratched the back of his head, finally noticing what was constantly running the whole time. 'So, they haven't got tired of fighting' Naruto thought to himself, feeling a cold sweat run the back of his neck, "Why don't we go home now? It's starting to get dark"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The three went to the blonde's home peacefully and not really bothering to say anything as they walk a few blocks to reach Naruto's apartment, when they finally did, it took quite a few minutes for Naruto to look for his keys and unlock the door. When the blonde finally did, he switched the lights on and turns around to see the two but before he could speak, Gaara disrupted it, "It's late...guess I'll be staying here then."

Sasuke could almost feel the biggest nerve fabricate on his fist, he didn't knew either the red head irritated him or he was angry about Naruto's reaction.

"Okay, fine" Naruto replied smiling.

Gaara didn't bother to look up at the pissed Uchiha and slowly walk his way down inside Naruto's apartment. Naruto turns his head temporarily to where Gaara's form is heading towards to and then turns his head again to where he left off. Sasuke was obviously pissed; his eyes were sternly fixed on Naruto, "What the hell was that about?"

"What?" the blonde asked confused.

"Why'd you let him sleep here?"

"Because he wants to?" Naruto replied doubting his answer.

"Ch," Sasuke grumbled, "you dobe."

Naruto decided to ignore the word 'dobe' for the mean time and let Sasuke brushed past his way while he closes the door after. "I'll just take a shower and then I'll get the futon ready" Naruto stated, presuming they were full from what they ate a while ago. The blonde headed towards his room to take some clothes and towel and entered the bathroom. -
Sasuke preferred to sit at the near end of the couch wherein Gaara was making himself comfy on the other side of it. Everything was in silence, It must've been hours since the moment they sat there...Naruto must've taken quite a while back in the shower.

In the middle of the silence, Sasuke noticed that Gaara was actually staring beside the small TV set Naruto had and he suddenly turned to where Gaara's attention was focused on. The living room was actually a bit messy if you take a good look at it, magazines and books of all sorts were lying on the floor...but wait, Gaara wasn't looking at any of them- he was looking at a piece of an old scarlet book lying outcast from the rest of the piles lying around. It was neat but old and it doesn't actually seem like a book and.…Sasuke was sure he'd seen this book before.

Wait! It wasn't a book; it's a photo album! That's it, it was an old photo album and.… It looks very familiar to Sasuke. Think Sasuke, think! Try to remember what the hell does that scarlet photo album has had to do anything with you.

'That's it!' Sasuke thought to himself, 'it was that photo album Naruto and I had back then and he kept it...'

Sasuke smiled a bit at the thought, 'he kept it...'

But it quickly turned into a dark frown, '...kept it lying around like the other piles of trashes he had here.'

'Back then, he even said he'd take good care of it and treasure it,' Sasuke's face was turning murderous, 'and this is how he treasures it?'

Light footsteps were heard and it was heading towards them. "Hey, could somebody help me out here?" Naruto was using both of his arms holding a rolled futon, "ano, Gaara, could you and Sasuke move away from the couch? I'm going to put the futon now." Gaara quietly moved away from sitting and leaned back from the wall facing the back of the couch while his eyes glued on the blonde. "Ano, Sasuke...you too." Naruto turned his attention to the Uchiha. Sasuke just uttered a 'Hn' to him and moved away from the couch. While Naruto was pushing the coffee table aside, he could almost feel the hairs from his nape stand, 'Why do I feel like four eyes are watching me?' Naruto sweat dropped as he unfolds the futon and places four pillows and two blankets down. "It's a good thing Iruka-sensei keeps two pillows for himself" Naruto uttered.

Sasuke and Gaara probably knew who's Iruka-sensei to me. Actually, when I was a little kid, Iruka-sensei was the one who adopted me. He was actually my teacher back then, and I should probably call him dad or father right now, but I kinda got used to calling him Iruka-sensei, and yeah, he's not always around because he's too busy with his work and he seldom comes home. But he probably wouldn't be surprised anymore if he comes home seeing Gaara around because we've been having sleep over to either my apartment or Gaara's house, but I know Iruka-sensei would really be surprised if he ever saw Sasuke inside our apartment…after all it's been years when they both last saw each other...well, except when Iruka-sensei comes home and covers up for me when Sasuke's calling abroad. Hehe, guess he doesn't have a problem lying for me...but I get a dose of lecturing after that and tells me to face 'my great Uchiha friend' and not run away from him. Well I wasn't running away! I was just giving time for myself...in three whole years. Ahehehehe, that was reasonable back those three long years!

Naruto turned around to see two pairs of sharp eyes looking or somewhat glaring at him, he sweat dropped and manage to ignore the intent eyes. "I'll turn the electric fan now," the blonde uttered turning the electric fan on. Sasuke didn't wait for another second to waste and lied in the futon taking a pillow in his head.

"Eh, Sasuke..."

Naruto didn't notice Gaara had already sat in the futon next to him.

"What?" the Uchiha uttered while his eyes was close.

"Don't you want to sleep in my bed tonight?"

"No, I'll be sleeping here" Sasuke replied hiding the insecurity he was having if he left the Naruto to sleep with Gaara.

"Ah..." Naruto mused while he takes his pillow and laid in the futon in between, Gaara lay right next to Naruto's side.

"Ano," Naruto pleaded, "Sasuke, can I share with your blanket?"

"No"

"Nani!" Naruto exasperated, "you're so mean!"

Naruto then turns to Gaara and pleads with his puppy eyes, "Gaara..." Naruto clutches on the red heads shirt, "onegai."

"Whatever..." Gaara turns his eyes away from the blonde to the ceiling.

Naruto was surely glad but Sasuke surely isn't, 'Naruto and Gaara sharing a blanket together?' Sasuke thought while a pulsing nerve comes out from his forehead, 'kuso...'

The lights were still on...

Sasuke was infuriating from his thoughts when suddenly Naruto spoke.

"Neh, Sasuke...I've been wanting to introduce the both of you formally."

"Gaara," Naruto started looking into Gaara's way, "this is Sasuke here...my childhood friend and also my best friend."

Gaara doesn't seem to blink and Sasuke just kept his back from Naruto while his eyes suddenly lit open.

"And Sasuke," Naruto placed a hand to Sasuke's shoulder, "this is Gaara, he's my best friend too."

Nobody dared to speak after Naruto, the silence seem to satisfy the blonde from hearing any disagreements or glaring from the both. "Hey, I know" Naruto lift his body from the lying down and searched through the scattered stuffs beside the TV set while Sasuke and Gaara lift their body from lying too and watched the blonde searched for something. "Found it!" the blonde cheered as he lifts up a scarlet photo album- the same old album Gaara was staring at and Sasuke noticed earlier...

"This will be a good illustration for me," Naruto smiled dusting the album, "this way, we'll all know each other better."

Gaara stared at it like the same stare earlier while his face was undecipherable. On the other hand, Sasuke was trying to remember some of the photos inside of the scarlet album Naruto was holding. The blonde crawled back to the futon and asked Sasuke and Gaara to come closer so they could take a good look at it. Naruto turned the first page wherein there were three pictures neatly attached on the first page, the first one was a young Naruto around eight or nine years old holding an older man's hand, "That's Iruka-sensei and me outside this apartment when I was just little," Naruto introduced.

"And this one is my classroom in grade school," Naruto points his finger on the second picture where Naruto was smiling in his seat and points unto the other students shown in the photo, "and this is Shikamaru and Chouji and Kiba and Shino and that shy one is Hinata."

Naruto shares some more pictures with Gaara and Sasuke and finally, while turning some more pages... a certain picture where a little Naruto seats in a couch with a younger Sasuke who kisses him in the cheeks, "That's Sasuke's place and the one who took it is Itachi-kun, his older brother, " Naruto uttered while Sasuke turns a slight pink and Gaara's face passive as ever, "we had a little truth or dare back then and Sasuke lost so Itachi-kun asked us to do an little embarrassing thing like that while he takes picture of it."

Sasuke and Naruto along side the stream. Sasuke holding hands with Naruto. Sasuke and Naruto sleeping. Sasuke's arms around the blonde's shoulder. Sasuke and Naruto embracing...they were young, that's why Naruto never thought about any malice in those pictures and is very open talking about it in front of Gaara and Sasuke. But of course, he never knew that it meant a lot to Sasuke.

Sasuke was internally dying as Naruto tells the story behind 'young Sasuke kissing Naruto in the cheek' photo, his big brother told him that he was only helping him spill the beans because Sasuke never had the courage to reveal his feelings for the blonde...but it didn't quite help a lot either.

Naruto showed Gaara more of his childhood pictures that mostly included Sasuke in it, when his childhood pictures were almost done, he turns another page and there it is...Naruto and Gaara in the school rooftop together, and there it is again...another photo of them, it was a close up picture where Gaara meets Naruto's cheeks, you can tell that one of Naruto or Gaara took the picture. "That's when I started to hang around with Gaara," Naruto looked at Sasuke, "and later on we became best friends."

Sasuke sure did feel a pang of jealousy surround him. The later part of the pictures were mostly Gaara and Naruto together and the rest were some other classmates and friends...Sasuke couldn't help the anger rose up to his head, the photo's just showed a lot of Gaara's affection for the blonde.

Gaara hugging Naruto in the back. Gaara's cheeks glued on the blonde's cheeks. Gaara's hands on the blonde's waist. Gaara in Naruto's apartment. Gaara's eyes always on Naruto. Gaara. Gaara. Gaara...it was all about Gaara! Why the hell are they inseparable in those photos? Even though they're older now, Naruto can really be dense about the people around him and he doesn't really mind Gaara hugging him or getting close...he just treats him the equal treatment Sasuke had so it doesn't had any malice too. But for Gaara? It seems different...

"Sasuke's really protective and nice but a bit grumpy," Naruto uttered closing the album, "Gaara's a quiet person so he's more of the person who acts and he's nice too, he's always there for me and.…he never did leave me alone. Ever."

Naruto's voice dropped in his second statement, he didn't mean to say that Sasuke left him...but it was true though. Sasuke did leave him and it sure did hurt. Naruto shrugged the feelings off and placed the album in the couch, "So," Naruto faked a smile, "maybe that'd help you two to know each other better."

"Why?" Sasuke asked, turning back to his old calm self.

"Nani?" Naruto turns around to see Sasuke.

"Why do you want us to know each other?"

"...Well," Naruto scratched the back of his head, "you two are my best friend and I want you to get along."

"Shut up," Gaara finally spoke lying back in the futon, "you just want to boast about that scarlet book you've had and you're using me as your excuse too."

"Nani?" Naruto pouted forming a ball of fist, "you're so mean!"

"But it's true, am I right?" Gaara turns his back to Naruto.

"Well, ano..." Naruto sweat dropped, Gaara does have a point, "ahehehehe."

"Keep it down, dobe" Sasuke sound uninterested as he lies down, "you woke me up for some cheap storytelling, you know?"

"Kuso," Naruto fumed, "you're mean too, Sasuke-teme!"

The night was silent and so was the three. Naruto haven't heard any word anymore from the both so he lie down and fell asleep, Sasuke was still awake and he was thinking about the photo album. Naruto sounded really happy back when he was storytelling and it did seem clear to Sasuke that Gaara does matter greatly to Naruto...but he can't let Gaara took his precious blonde away from him, there is a brewing competition between them but he still wasn't sure how that red head feel for Naruto. And how does he feel for the both of them?

Gaara was thinking too, he may really be silent but he's awake...he never really fells asleep easily, he would always pretend that he was sleeping so that the blonde would finally sleep and then he watches over the blonde until it lulls him to sleep too. Gaara knew Sasuke was that important to Naruto, but it doesn't matter...the problem is, Naruto is really dense and as he had said before, Gaara wasn't the type of person who talks, he was the type of person who acts. But Naruto was too dense and he couldn't read the signs either...so then Gaara, how do you feel?

-To be continued-

A.N.: Bwahahahaha! I'm so evil, is that a cliff hanger? nope, not really...unless you want me to say it's a cliffie. -evil laughs- I really love Gaara above the rest, he's so sadistic and morbid...But anyway, I have plans for this Uchiha too. well, I need opinions or comments...My title sucks, and I made the photo album scarlet 'cause that's my fave color- color of blood. I'm planning on introducing more characters and some surprises and drama too...

P.S.: I know this is off subject, but does anybody know the song 'ai chai si yen chien' a.k.a 'love from millennium ago' by Jay Chou? the rythm of this song gives me the ideas for this fanfic, it's a chinese song...though I'm half chinese I need translations for this song 'cause I don't have the lyrics and the song is a bit fast that I don't get to understand it. for everybody's information, I will be basing the pieces of story of 'Inside Out' from that song...it's so lovely.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Do y'all want me to post Naruto and Sasuke's childhood story? coz y'all be missing something. And also how Gaara and Naruto met and turned out to be best friends) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

solstice: Did I ever make sense in this chapter?

Naruto: Nope. Your title even sucks!

solstice: -cries- waii! You're so negative!

Gaara: So you really do love me that much, huh? And you also said I'm morbid and sadistic.

solstice: -nod, nod-

Gaara: then why does that bastard get all the kisses! -points to Sasuke-

solstice: ahehehehe, gomen, gomen. Someday, you'll understand but not for now. Ok?

Naruto: Hey you! -points mighty finger to author- how do I really feel for Sasuke and Gaara!

Gaara & Sasuke: right, right. How does he really feel for us?

solstice: secret!

-Gaara chokes author to death-

Gaara: And how do I really feel for Naruto?

Sasuke: Why am I the only one whose feelings are obvious and certain! Tell me solstice!

solstice: -big sign on shirt saying: "Gaara choked me to death"- X.X