Strippers VS Religion

“Come on, Mars, you’re twenty-one! You haven’t even kissed a girl, we have to take you to a strip club!”

“I don’t want to go to a place like that! You know it’s against my religion!”

“Oh, lighten up!”

Mars crossed his arms over his chest, staring out the window of the car. Rhode was always dragging him to places he wasn’t supposed to be, forcing him into doing things he wasn’t supposed to do. It was always a learning experience, one way or another.

“Are you still angry about that time I made you try a sip of my beer?” Rhode asked, chuckling.

“YES!” Mars snapped angrily. “Of course I am! Shut up and drive.”

When they finally arrived at what Rhode called a “classy strip joint”, Mars almost refused to get out of the car.

“It’s filthy!” he argued, as Rhode practically dragged him inside.

It was loud and brightly colored. It looked like the eighties had thrown up inside the place. Mars was even less excited to do this, now.

“Come on, I got you time with the best stripper here~” Rhode told him, dragging him into a back room, completely bypassing the actual club. While Mars thought that was suspicious, he didn’t ask. Rhode was always dragging him into weird situations. More than likely, the stripper was ugly or something.

Rhode passed him off to some guy, who shoved him into a room with a single chair in it. He didn’t want to sit down. At all. His stomach was full of butterflies, now that he was alone. He awkward stood there, touching his rosary and waiting.

A tall stripper in jeans and a leather jacket walked into the room, smiling broadly. He had nice teeth for a sex worker, and his hair was dyed red at the tips.

"Hey there, sugar," he said in an accent that certainly wasn't American. "You here for a good time? I'm Priestly, and I'm your entertainment for the evening."

Mars stared at him blankly.

"...there's been a mistake," he told him, frowning deeply. "I...I don't...but you're a man. Rhode said..." he paused, upon realizing that Rhode hadn't said anything about the gender of the strippers.

He gritted his teeth. He was going to kill Rhode.

"I can't do this, it's against my religion," he explained, waving his hands. "There's been a mistake!"

"And what religion is that baby?" he asked, placing his hands on Mars's shoulders and leaning close. "You know, God likes all of us--people like you, people like me. There's no sin in a good time."

Mars snorted, though he was more angry with himself than he was with the stripper.

"Don't preach to me," he replied, crossing his arms. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go tell my so-called friend he wasted his time and money trying to trick me into this."

"No, sweetie, don't leave," he said, sitting down in Mars's lap. "I've been paid for all night, and I'm a hard worker." He grinded against Mars, winking.

He squirmed noticeably.

"I-I, really, I..." he insisted, feeling blood rush to his face. "I'm not...into this sort of thing, trust me, it's-it's against my religion!"

"You're not stealing anything--I'm all paid for. Where's the crime?" He placed Mars's hands on his chest, winking. "Why, sugar, if you don't want to, you don't even have to touch me--just watch, and enjoy the show."

Mars swallowed nervously.

"The crime is that I...I'm not...I mean, some people like men, but...n-not me, trust me, I would know, you know, and it's sort of against my religion anyway, and so is...whatever this is and I mean, I thought you weren't allowed to touch strippers? But, uhm that's besides the point, what I'm trying to say is, I'm really...not allowed to be here, I...I have to go to a confessional for just stepping into this place as it is..."

He chuckled.

"If you wanna be a bad boy, why not go all the way? Look, kid, you're young, right? Why not cut loose a little. Watch a stripper once, for one night. it won't kill you--God is very forgiving of his young, wayward children. Come on."

He ran a hand over Mars's chest.

"Technically, you aren't supposed to touch me--but it doesn't count if I'm touching you, right? I can't help it, sugar--you're cute."

"I'm twenty-one, I'm not young!" he insisted, trying to pretend he wasn't enjoying the feeling of someone touching him. "I can...I can't, I mean..."

He swallowed staring at the man in front of him. Mars knew, however, that he wouldn't leave.

"You ready to see me take off my clothes?" he asked bluntly, waggling his brows. "I'm already paid for, sugar--what's the harm?"

Mars bit his lip, looking to the side.

"...sure, g-go ahead, I mean...I guess...you're paid for..." he mumbled, trying to force himself into it.

He was still mad at Rhode, though.

He stood up and tossed his jacket to the floor, revealing a tight undershirt.

"You ready, sweetheart?" he asked with a wink.

He stared awkwardly, trying not to, but then remembering he was allowed to. It only made him more confused.

"N-no, probably not..." he admitted.

"Come on, babe--you can touch if you want," he teased, booping Mars on the nose.

He jumped, feeling foolish.

"No! I can't!" he insisted, sitting on his hands. "I-it's against the rules, I...this is just..you know, nothing, platonic, or uhm, something...I..it's against my religion."

"Are you saying you're in love with me?" he asked, feigning shock. "Why, sugar--I'm flattered!"

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!" he exclaimed, feeling his face turn a deep, deep red. "I..I am not! What...no! Stop! Stop doing that, stop...stop it! I...you're cruel!"

He stared at the ground, debating on getting up and leaving.

"I'm only joking," he said, running a hand over Mars's lap. "Relaaaax, sugar."

He swallowed, feeling a bead of sweat on his throat.

"P...please don't," he insisted, shifting awkwardly, still sitting on his hands.

"What was that? Please do?" he asked, his fingers playing with Mars's belt.

Mars fidgeted, frowning deeply.

"Please don't!" he said louder, feeling his face burn red. "This...isn't proper! I mean, it's...it's really, really against my religion!"

"If God cares so much, why does he let you get hard?" he teased, kissing Mars's cheek. "You over think things, kiddo--just unwind and relax for a night, it'll do you good."

Mars felt his lips tremble. He was not going to cry, he told himself. Certainly not in front of this man.

"I...it's a test," he said quietly, and more to himself than Priestly. "...and I always fail."