Strippers VS Religion

"I completely understand. But, since we're talking anyway, how've you been? Having fun at school or whatever you do during the day? You look like the type of young man who goes to school."

"School?" he frowned. "I'm on break. I'm going to be a priest...a real one. It's fine, I guess. What do you care?"

"Being a priest, huh?" he laughed. "Sounds boooooring. No one to chase but little altar boys...and I don't know, I care because you're cute. Come on, I've got the time, talk to me about yourself. I swear I'm a great listener."

"There's nothing exciting about me," he replied angrily. "I'm just...me. A boring, religious college kid. That's it. There's nothing about me."

"What's your favorite color?" he asked, laughing.

Mars almost said 'pink' before he realized how gay that was. No, his favorite color had to be something manly, something masculine.

"...blue," he lied.

"Blue, huh? So you're manly, interesting," he teased. "I like red. Red is my favorite. The color of love."

"What do you know about love?" he asked, before he had thought about it. "I mean...you're a stripper. You...you...you and me..."

He swallowed.

"Never mind, you know what I mean!"

"Are you saying strippers can't love anyone?" he giggled, rocking backward in his chair. "Sugar, don't be silly--of course we've got feelings, just like anyone else. It's just, we don't love people just because they pay us--that's more of a show. When we like someone, it's not because of money, it's because of feelings, just like it is for anyone else.

"I like dating and loving. What's so odd about that?"

"It's sinful," Mars replied, as if it were obvious. "It's disgusting to show your body to people who don't love you. You aren't even married to them or dating them. It's...gross. Just like you...you homo."

He hoped Priestly hung up on him.

"Really?" he asked thoughtfully. "Do you think my body isn't nice?"

"...yes," he lied. It was so much easier to lie over the phone, it was a relief. Though he was certain his lies were still obvious, he hoped they weren't AS obvious. "I think you're body is...just...Why do I care? I'm not a homo, I like women, I don't have any feelings towards your body."

He chuckled.

"Maybe you just need to see it some more, hmm? I could give you a private show..."

"Wh...why would I want that?!" he shouted into the phone, before remembering he shared an apartment. "Shut up! I don't need that! I would never, ever agree to that! I...the only thing I want is to go on a nice date with a nice girl, I don't need your...body."

"I could be a nice girl if you want me to be," he teased.

"No you can't!" he hissed. "You're...I don't even know why I called you, this is bad for my blood pressure."

"I don't think you've seen me in drag--I look amazing, trust me."

Mars felt a sudden wave of heat wash over him. He was not going to think about Priestly in women's clothes, he was not going to think about Priestly in women's clothes.....

"No!" he shrieked, but he felt it sounded less horrified than he had wanted. In fact, it sounded much different than horrified. "I...I mean...n-no, you..."

He had the sudden urge to ask to go to the other man's house, but he knew he couldn't. So he bit his tongue, literally, and tried to forget those thoughts.

"I could come over and show you sometime," he pressed, chuckling softly.

"I...have a roommate," he mumbled awkwardly. "I don't...think that's a good idea..."

He bit his lip, hoping Priestly would invite him to his house. Though at the same time, he hoped Priestly didn't.

"I have several," he said, biting his lip. "Hmmm, well, we could rent a motel room if privacy is what you want."

Mars felt his face turn red.

"No! I'd...rather you just came...to my apartment. Uhm...during the day he works...as long as you come over between 10 and 6..." What was he thinking? Was he really inviting a stripper into his apartment?

Well considering his only other friend was Rhode, he did get kind of lonely...

"Will do. I'll be over later today then, my shift doesn't start until evening."

"L-later today?" he asked, feeling his face turn red. "I...uhm. O-okay."

He was having a stripper come over and they'd be perfectly alone in the house. Normal people would have probably been extremely happy, but Mars really wasn't sure how to feel.

"...I...I'll...see you then...?"

"You betcha, kid," said Priestly. "Now, what's your address?..."

-x-

He rang the doorbell, tapping his foot against the pavement. He hadn't had cause to smile this much in quite a while.