Issues

A SasuSaku love story

(A/N: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. Just the story. Happy reading!)

Chapter 1

Sakura:

Something I have never understood is the way society has always judged women's bodies and somehow decided that a certain way they should look is the absolute only way. That somehow a woman can't choose to do something with her own body lest she get judged for it. A woman can't sleep around because then she is seen as a whore. A woman can't get an abortion of her own choice because it is murder. A woman can't be plus size because society has decided that's wrong, yet she can't be too thin because then she is seen as someone who doesn't eat and is also wrong. These are just scratching the surface of the issues that make our twisted world go round. And while I do deal with and see my friends go through these annoying issues every day, they're not my biggest at the moment. No, my biggest issue right now is the man sitting in front of me lecturing me at my job because of the type of job it is. Even though I am not the one who made this man come to the strip club, I am not the one who made him pay the door fee, and I'm not the one who made him sit in the black velvet chair, drink one to many and pay for a lap dance that he doesn't even want just so he can sit there and lecture me about respecting my body.

What most people don't care to know is that a lot of strippers like what they do, me included. Some women are forced into this job and as sad as it is it's their only choice at the time and in the end, they either choose to stay or go on to do what their end goal was in the first place, but they always leave with some amount of respect for the job. Now like I said I really like what I do here. I make good money; I've made some great friends and I am good at it. So, sitting here listening to some 40-year-old man in a suit with his tie pulled loose probably after having a long day at some boring office isn't the most fun, I have had at my job but it's not the worst. I just pretend to listen so I still get paid for the song and then I will move on to someone who might actually let me do my job without being buzzkill talking about something that I could care less about. I know how society views my job; know people don't understand but that's their problem because at the end of the day I do what I love, and they are just mad about it.

"And another thing, it's disgusting how do you even know anyone really wants to see you with your clothes off. It's basically like asking for anyone to do whatever they want to you when you're out and about" buzzkill Mcgee was still ranting but that last sentence caught my attention. Another issue about society, women are apparently always "asking for it" what the absolute hell does that even mean. It's repulsive to hear people use that excuse because they're pigs and have no self-control. Why would anyone be asking for bad things to happen to them? Unless it was a discussed thing in the bedroom between two consenting adults, that's a different story. But to strangers who have no idea who the other is just assuming that because of what they're wearing or what job they do that somehow means they're asking for it. I roll my eyes and scoff at him but keep my mouth shut, I'll let our bouncer Kiba know to escort this man out after the song ends in about another 30 seconds, thank goodness.

After the song is over and Kiba is walking the suit wearing buzzkill out the door I walk over to the bar where one of my best friends is bartending tonight. Hinata is the sweetest most soft-spoken woman I've ever met, 24 years old 5'2 with pale skin, long straight black hair and a huge chest she is ogled at pretty often and brings in a lot of tips, she's got that whole emo goth girl thing going for her even though her personality is far from it. Her father owns one of the biggest companies in Konoha, but he never believed in her as an heir and instead looked to her younger sister to take over the company instead. Hinata still get money from her father, but she decided to rent a house with a couple of us girls and work here with us earning her own way by bartending and sometimes waitressing, I'm so proud of her and her dad can go suck it for not seeing her potential. "Hey beautiful, how'd the last dance go?" Hinata asks me while she slides me a water bottle. "Hey love, it was terrible. Jackass drank too much and paid for me to sit in the chair across from him just so he could drunkenly lecture me about how I don't respect my body and I am practically asking for it" I scoff taking a sip of my water. Hinata is the mother figure of our group and in true to her fashion she narrowed her eyes and immediately got pissed on my behalf, I love her.

"He said what?! That misogynistic pig! I hope you had Kiba escort him out" she was practically steaming; it was so sweet. "I did, you know Kiba. He was on him right away after I told him." I said and patted her hand to help calm her down, she hates the way were treated as dancers, she rarely ever gets up on stage because her muscles can't take the strain like ours and bounce back the next night but when she does, its graceful and something that stops you in your tracks. "Good. Shifts almost over, movies and drinks tonight?" she asks smiling and taking care of her other customers. "Of course, I'm thinking romcom." I wink at her knowing those are our favorite type of movies, she blows me an air kiss and I walk to the back room where the locker rooms are. The club closes in an hour and there's only a couple of customers still out there so I am good to go and change, there's a couple girls still out there and one girl still dancing so I won't be missed. Karui our DJ will give them a warning in half an hour of the impending closing time.

I walk into the locker room, it's a big open room with lockers lining two walls. A row of vanity's along one of the other walls filled with some products. The fourth wall is where the door to the bathroom and the club mom/ owner's office is. The locker room is painted a calming lilac purple and the lockers are black while the vanity's are a cream color, there's a couch and a couple chairs in the middle with an island counter behind the couch for when we'd like to snack or do some work considering some of the girls are putting themselves through school. Which is another misunderstood part of this job. Currently I am going to college for my doctorate, society doesn't understand anything except what they'd like to, what they understand and not what they don't. I go to my locker, number 143, and grab out my bag with my clothes that I came to work in and start to change. I throw on my black ripped jeans and my plain black hoodie, I walk over to my assigned vanity and look at myself in the mirror. Long petal pink hair, emerald green eyes, 5'4 pale skin. Most customers look for me because they think my coloring is exotic and it is something they like, which brings me good tips and some regulars. Currently I have my makeup done in a sultry brown smoky eye that paired perfectly with my leopard outfit tonight, nude lipstick to go with.

I hear a commotion coming from the hallway leading to the locker room and know my girls are ready to go. Tenten walks in first, 25 years old 5'8 tan brunette with her hair in her signature two buns on top of her head, she is our little waitress through and through. Also, one of the girls I would hate advise people not to mess with considering she has a collection of sharp and pointy things; any sharp melee weapon and she must have it. Tennie has been through the foster system her whole life and doesn't have any family to really care about what she's doing here so she is our free spirit. Next is Temari, she just moved to Konoha from Suna about 6 months ago and she fits in here like she was always supposed to be here, 26 years old, 5'8 blonde with two spiky pigtails, she's a real spit fire when you get her going. Both her parents are gone but she has two younger brothers who thankfully just want what's best for her and they know that she's happy stripping. Hinata comes in third and she looks happy and soft like always besides the revealing black outfit. I wait to see our other friend and roommate Ino walk in but she's not with them. "Hey girls, where's Ino?" I ask, "She just finished her set and some guy tried to get handsy and she punched him in the face before Kiba could pull him out by his throat." Temari answered laughing, no doubt replaying the punch in her mind. "Damn does Tsunade know?" I asked, tilting my head in the direction of the office.

Tsunade is the club owner and our club mom, she's a retired stripper who loves the job more than anyone I know. She also loves to drink and by owning her own club with a bar she gets to drink to her heart's content. Blonde and busty her hair always hangs in two low ponytails; she is married to her best friend from high school and treats us all like the daughters she never had. That woman is also scary as all get out; I don't know anyone who wasn't immediately intimidated by her. When something like this happens to any of us, she wants to know everything about what happened so she can make sure to ban the customer from ever stepping foot in her club or around her girls again. She is my idol. Ino comes in while all the girls get changed and she walks over to her locker next to mine, 24 years old 5'6 blonde with great assets and a spunky attitude she is a woman who is unapologetically herself and takes no shit from anyone who tries to convince her otherwise. I've known her the longest, both of us had found this job together. It was pretty easy considering we'd both been dancers our whole lives and had taken a couple pole dancing classes before applying. We met when we were just 5 years old and had been inseparable since. "Hey pig, heard you punched a guy in the face. I'm proud of you" I say smiling at her. "Yea, dickhead tried grabbing my ass as I strutted off the stage. What a prick. But at least those self-defense classes we've all been taking are coming in handy." she said giggling and putting on her t-shirt dress and jacket.

A sequence of three knocks comes at the door, it's the other employees' signature one to let us know they need to come in and they're not a dancer. Giving us privacy because usually we are changing in here and yes, I know that sounds funny considering the majority of us take our clothes off for money but the guys who work here respect us and want us to feel as comfortable as possible. Hinata checks to make sure were all good and goes to open the door and finds Kiba there smiling at her like he loves her, we all secretly think he has a little crush but they're childhood friends if it was going to happen, he should get a move on, but we know she doesn't feel anything but brotherly love towards him. He's tall and tan as all get out, 25 years old, tattoos on his face and he has brown scruffy hair. He walks in and smiles at all of us, we're all very fond of him even though he can be a bit obnoxious at times. "Hey ladies, just checking in on you all. And I have to tell the boss lady what went on with our two troublemakers" he snickers looking at me and Ino. We both give him a glare and I flick him off earning myself a louder laugh. He whistles his way over to Tsunade's door and knocks three times before we all hear her yell "Come in!", Kiba opens her door, and we continue taking off makeup or getting out things together to leave. All of us have the day off tomorrow, Thursday night, because it's amateur night and we like to let the newbies get all the time to shine, well at least my circle of girls do the other girls who work here couldn't care less.

Tsunade walks out of her office and looks at all of us with a stern look on her face, "Ino, make sure you ice your knuckles. And aim for the nose, it's more satisfying to hear it break. Sakura, my dear, if you don't want to listen to a customer lecture you about something you love, tell him to get the hell out. No money is worth listening to bullshit, you could've been with a different customer for all that. And you should've hit him for insinuating that you're asking for it when you go out. Take no shit!", I sigh because I know she's right, but I just couldn't care less about putting someone in their place tonight. I had a huge test in my anatomy class at 9 this morning and I had been on a 3-day studying binge in between dances here. I'm tired. "I know Tsunade I was just tired and zoned him out" I say. "Fine, you all did beautifully tonight,, and your club fee is already paid so go ahead and pick up your money from Kotetsu at the front and I'll see you ladies Friday at 9. Be safe." Tsunade says before walking back into her office. "You ladies ready?" Kiba asks. He has to walk us out each night just to make sure there are no creepy customers who decided to hang around outside waiting for a dancer to walk out by herself. Yes, it's happened before. Some crazy lady and her boyfriend used to come to the club together and get dances from a girl who used to work here, she was their favorite and when the couple split up the woman thought it was because of the dancer, it wasn't, but she was crazy and wanted to blame someone. Anyways, she waited for the dancer to come out after her shift and attacked her. Thankfully a customer was in the parking lot and was able to help but it was a scary moment that caused the poor girl to quit and move away.

We all collect our earnings for the night, not including our tips for lap dances that we get during the songs, this money consists of what we get during our sets on the pole. Tsunade doesn't like the thought of us crawling around on the stage to pick up money, so she has two of the guys sweep it up and put it in envelopes for us between each set. Kiba walks us out to Temari's car, she drove us tonight, wishes us goodnight and reminds us to be safe like always and heads back inside. "I can't wait to get in the bath" Tennie says "Yes! I need a good long shower and my skincare routine" Ino says laying her head on my shoulder in the back seat. "Do you guys want to join me and Hinata to watch some romcoms and wine coolers?" I ask as we make our way to our shared home. "I'm going to pass; I have to call my brother Gaara. He's running for mayor back in Suna and wants my advice on his campaign." Temari says sighing. "Aww I love Gaara, when is he coming to visit again? I'm sure he'd love to see our precious flower over here again" Ino says laughing at my expense, all the girls laugh with her and I glare at them. "You guys are so sick, Gaara doesn't have feelings towards me. Leave that poor man alone and quit your teasing!" I yell at them as a little blush rises on my face. My friends are such assholes. My outburst makes them laugh harder. "Sure, whatever you say Sak" Hinata laughs and pats my hand like I did to her in the club. I gape at her "Oh not you to Hina! That's not fair!" I say.

"Is there something wrong with my brother Sak? Do you not like him?" Temari teases with a smile on her face, she knows that I think both of her brothers are attractive in their own ways, but I don't think of them that way and they don't think of me like that either. "Wha-! Don't you put words in my mouth! You know I don't think anything is wrong with him! I just don't think it's possible for him to like me in that way, plus you know I'm not dating at the moment. So, stop it!" I say crossing my arms and pouting a little. They continue to laugh at me, and I smile a little because this was something I always wanted growing up. I was an only child and was picked on until I met Ino, but I never had any sisters or any other friends who were girls, so this type of sisterhood was so important to me and to find it with some kick ass women was just the best part of it all. We pulled into the double driveway of our 5-bedroomm two story house. It's beautiful, white with blue shutters, has a wraparound porch and a door painted to match the shutters. Our yard has a beautiful Fraser fir tree that we decorate like a Christmas tree in the winter. Our flower beds have all sorts of flowers planted; Ino is going to school as a business major. Her dream is to open her own flower shop. She makes our home look so beautiful with her flower arrangements.

We moved in about a year and a half ago, just Tenten, Hinata and Ino and I. When we met Temari we knew she was the best fit and told her to move in immediately. Our house consists of a big living room, dining and kitchen open concept first floor. There's a finished basement where we have a giant flat screen tv and a bar as well as a mini stage with a pole. We have a patio outside and a big yard. A bathroom and laundry room. On the second floor is all 5 rooms and bathrooms in each room. Each of us has our own bedrooms that are fairly sized and perfectly depicting each of us based on our different personalities. Tennie goes and starts her bath, Temari answers her ringing phone and takes it out onto the porch, Ino goes to start her shower, me and Hinata head to the kitchen to start cooking dinner. It's about 4 in the morning and we all only had snacks throughout the night. Spaghetti should be good with everyone. After we all finished eating, all of us besides Temari who had to go in her room to use her computer, go into the basement and spread out on the sectional couch and throw on one of my new favorite romcoms ever. "The Hating Game" based off a book by Sally Thorne. All of us have our favorite blankets and are dressed in our favorite pajamas cuddling up to one another, we all get comfortable as possible because we know 9 times out of 10, we fall asleep down here. Some of us even during the movie.

Only 20 minutes left, and the girls are out cold. Temari came down about halfway through and cuddled up to Ino at the end of the left side of the couch and stole some of her blanket. I'm the last one up and I don't usually like that because it gives me time to think. I don't want to think because it causes me to overthink. Like why won't I accept the fact that Gaara might have a crush on me? Why is it so hard for me to accept the idea of anyone having any sort of feelings towards me? Do I think I'm so unworthy of love? I pause for a second as realization hits me. Ah so that's my issue, hm. I don't think I'm worthy of love. But why? I'm confident in myself, I love what I do, I love what I stand for as a person. So, what is stopping me. What's the problem? I think about this as I begin to fade into sleep, I watch as the final kiss is played on the screen and the end credits begin. I smile slightly and sadly thinking about how I will never be enough for someone to get that happily ever after.

Sasuke:

Thursday morning, 5:00 am. I walk through the parking garage headed toward the elevators, they're not that far from my personal parking spot so I don't have far to walk. Being the CTO of Hidden Leaf Corps has its perks. My father started this business with his partner over 30 years ago, Fugaku Uchiha was a force to be reckoned with he was the hard and cold presence in the business. His partner Minato Namikaze is the gentler, understanding one of the two. The business was a powerhouse in the tech world and would continue that way when my father and Mr. Namikaze retire and I as well as Minato's son, my bumbling idiot of a best friend who is the CFO, take over their positions. I take the elevator up to the 129th floor, where mine and Naruto Uzumaki's (aforementioned best friend) offices are along with our secretaries, the Executive President, Senior Vice President, and a couple others. The floor above us is where our father's offices are along with four assistants, two each. I walk into my office and set down my brief case and load up my computer and connect my laptop, I'm the only one at work right now as per the usual. Everyone else tends to get here around 6, except Naruto, he decides to come be a nuisance at about 7:30. I come in early because I enjoy the quiet, I enjoy the work I do and it surrounds my every minute. I never stop working and sometimes that is a fault that I can't stand. Sometimes.

But that is one of the issues in our world. People become workaholics until the day they die. The government pushes the agenda that you need to work, work and work so you can live. And the longer you do the better your retirement could be, or the money you could save to pass on to your children if you choose to have them. It's just one of the issues that makes our world go round. I thrive on being a workaholic, though it does take time away from my life that Naruto says I don't even have. Tch, I have a life. I just choose to work on the company's next project than go out to a bar and drink with a couple guys we went to college with every weekend. I turn to look out my window and catch my reflection 23 years old, 6'4, pale skin, jet black spiky hair that stands up in the back. I'm successful because I became a workaholic and didn't stray from my plan. Another issue is people. People are a real issue when it comes to the world as a whole. People judge and criticize you; they make assumptions and have egos. I am not a people person and never have been, I just know how to read people, I know what their intentions are before they even open their mouths. I am seen as cold, callous, and an all-around dick. I just take no shit and don't like putting on a show for nobody, I'm going to act indifferent because I am indifferent. But I'm not without a heart, contrary to what most people believe.

I settle in my chair and bring up my emails and press the messages button on my phone. I have a secretary who can handle the voicemails, but I don't have time to wait, there's many things that need to be done and if I'd like to be home by 10 tonight, I need to get started. 7:30 rolls around and I hear the tell-tale sounds that I know belong to Naruto. Yelling, and the sound of excited running. Without knocking, even though he knows how much I despise him when he does that, in barges Naruto Uzumaki. 23-year-old idiot, with spiky blonde almost yellow hair and oh so very bright personality it's annoying. "Hey Teme!" he shouts slamming both hands on my desk shaking the hourglass I have on the corner. I'm absolutely steaming, "Shut up dobe!" I say through my gritted teeth. "Oh, calm down teme! I'm just coming to see what we're doing for your birthday tomorrow!" He continues shouting and being very expressive with his arms. "Would you sit the hell down dobe! You're disrupting my sand and it's getting on my nerves!" I glare at him before turning back to the email I was working on for the security team about some strange emails I keep getting that somehow never get sent to my spam and are coming from a blocked email but never seem to stop. It's getting increasingly more frustrating.

"You and that sand! It's as black as your heart teme! Ha! I was thinking about going out for your birthday, what do you say?! Just us and the guys!" he finally sits down; I roll my eyes at him for his comment I know he doesn't mean it but that doesn't make it any less annoying. The guys consist of a couple men we had met in college. Shikimaru Nara, 24, 6'3, spiky brunette hair that's usually in a ponytail, works in the intel part of our company. Suigetsu Hozuki, 24, 6'0, white hair and annoying personality, kind of like the dobe, works in the security division. Choji Akamichi, 24, 6'3, long red hair, works at a chef here for the higher ups and high paying clients who come in around lunch. Sai, 24, 6'0, works as one of the department managers, I forget which one. "I'm not going out, you know that. I've got other things to do." I say clicking onto my next email and reading. "God Teme! Work can wait until Monday! It'll be Friday night, you're turning 24! Let's go out!" Naruto tries again. I start to rub my temples and sigh at him, he just won't let up. Every damn year. "Dobe. No." I growl. He pauses, there that'll be the end of it. Thank God. "I'll call your mom." Naruto says calmly with a smug smile on his face. Spoke to damn soon apparently. I narrow my eyes at him and clench my jaw. "You. Are. Such. A. Child." I grit out, he knows that if my mother asks for anything I give it to her, so using that against me is low. "Awesome! 10pm, wear button-down shirt and slacks! We're going to get you laid!" Naruto is shouting again, giving me the headache, I was expecting. "Dobe if you don't shut up, I'm going to make you. Permanently" I'm shooting my most vile death glare his way, he just grins wider and laughs "Where the hell are we going that requires a 10pm start time?" I ask out of curiosity because if I'm going to be wasting my time doing something so stupid, I'd rather know what it is. "Don't worry about that Teme! I've already handled everything!" he yells, running out of my office, probably trying to escape any other questions I may have.

The day goes by slowly, meetings upon meetings, followed by phone calls, and idiot incompetent people who don't even know what their job consists of. I see Naruto at lunch and before he leaves and each time, he avoids all questions I have. By the end of the day, I'm angrily texting him to go die in a hole somewhere and leave my life for good, he sends back a laughing face and a shovel emoji. I hate him. We've known each other since we we're babies; our mothers were best friends and our father's business partners. We were destined to be in the roles that we are today with the company and although I can't always stand him, I know I'm lucky to have a friend who never runs away from my outward presence. We just have an understanding between each other. It's 9:30 and I have done all that I can today and some of what I needed to do tomorrow, I'm the last one in the building besides the janitorial staff as per the usual of every day. I head home to my penthouse in downtown Konoha, I live alone and like it that way. I walk into my two-bedroom apartment. It has a full open concept floorplan; the rooms are upstairs along with 2 of the bathrooms. There's the living room, a bar and the kitchen. Minimal decoration, black and silver color scheme. My mother picked everything out for me, she was so excited and proud that I was moving out on my own. I thought for a moment that she would cry and be sad, but she was always supportive and loving, so this was not going to be any different. We still see each other regularly for lunch on Wednesdays and dinner on Sundays, she also calls almost every night just to make sure I've eaten.

My mother is the epitome of love, Mikoto Uchiha has the biggest heart especially towards the stoic men in her life. My father, brother Itachi and I are not the easiest bunch to handle but she does it with grace. My father is strict and very demanding, now he has no heart. My older brother Itachi is a wayward soul, he is out on a trek in God only knows where on an adventure of self-something or other. He was supposed to take the position I currently have at the company but decided that's not what he wanted and left, he calls occasionally, mostly just to our mother, but I sometimes get a call or two. I walk upstairs to my bedroom ready to take off my suit and settle down from the stress that carries with me after a long workday. While I step into the shower I think about my life, I'm only 23 and more successful than most men twice my age. I have a car that is top of the line, a family that supports my goals, an apartment that has more than enough space. So why do I feel like there is something missing? But what? I have everything I could ever want in life and at such a young age. I finished up my shower and reheated the dinner my mother had left in my fridge earlier today while I was at work. Her spaghetti with extra chopped up tomatoes inside. My favorite.

After finishing my dinner, I go back to my bedroom and sit on my king-sized mattress reading more emails on my phone. Once I get tired enough, I lay back and ponder. Has my bed always been this big? No, not big. Empty. Has it always felt so empty? What does that mean? Am I starting to become lonely? Why does being in a relationship correlate to being "complete" in today's society? Do I really want a person to share my life with? Have I ever wanted that before, because I don't think so. Who would even want to be with me? Well now I can't say that I don't have my options, women practically throw themselves at me in all sorts of ways. Quite frankly it's disgusting. I've even been told that because I look the way I do that I should just expect women to fall at my feet and even that I should take advantage of that fact. I still sneer at that thought. Why would anyone want to take advantage of all these women in that sense, it's repulsive. If I did choose to explore being in a relationship it would be a committed one, I don't share. Never have. She would need to be like my mother at heart, I'd expect nothing less. It's a good thing I have not and will not be looking for a woman to come home to. I wonder how it would feel to have someone special laying here with me. I think about this as I drift off into sleep, my last thought on the possibility of someone deciding that all my faults don't matter when it comes to loving me. Wishful thinking.

A/N: Let me know what you think, I just thought of this idea a couple nights ago and am intrigued as to where I will take it. I'm also working on the next chapter for KHB. Life just got away from me. I hope you like chapter 1.