Meeting in a Motel Lobby

Ulric Clarke glanced awkwardly around the lobby, looking queasy. How he despised motels. Greed was a sin, but in his heart he couldn't help but wish he could afford a better place to spend the night.

His shoes tapped nervously against the garish linoleum tile.

"You're absolutely certain you've only got a room with two beds left?" he asked, grimacing. His long, pale fingers fiddled with his slick black ponytail. "I would much prefer a smaller room. I don't need that much space, and I've got a tight budget."

The man staring at him from across the counter picked his teeth and shrugged. It was all Ulric could do to remain where he was standing, instead of backing away from the disgusting creature.

"Sorry, buddy, them's the breaks--got one room left, take it or take a hike."

"One room left, eh?" Ace asked, crossing his arms. "I need a room, you need a room. Maybe we can split the cost, rent it together. I mean, there's only one bed but, you're a big boy, not afraid of men or anything like that."

He stepped over to the other man, grinning widely.

"So, how you doin'? Fine night? I'll cut to the chase, my name is Ace, short for a name you'll never know unless you ask, and I thought we could split the room, since I don't have much money, you don't have much money...you know. I need a place to stay."

Ulric frowned, less than thrilled by the prospect. He did need to save his money, however...

He swallowed, and adjusted his glasses so he could better examine the man in front of him. He could look worse, he supposed.

"...Fine. But you will sleep on the floor, and I will sleep on the bed--I do not wish to share."

He slicked his hair back, though it was perfectly in place.

"...My name is Clarke."

"Ace, like I said," he grinned widely, showing off his impressive display of bright, white teeth. "So, we have a deal! Let's split the room, and I'm gonna get some shut eye. Can't promise you I won't crawl into bed with you, you're my type."

He didn't make any other moves to hit on him, just stated the fact.

"In fact, I was hoping I would get lucky tonight, but you don't seem like the sort, so, I probably won't. That's fine, I guess. Not perfect, but fine."

"Excuse me?!" exclaimed Ulric, holding his cash to his chest. "Such open perversions--you sick, sinful man! You need to ask God's forgiveness. How dare you attempt to force your own sickness on random strangers in public."

He glared at Ace, crossing his arms.

"I don't know if I should even still share this room with you, sir."

He shrugged.

"Well, I know that I have enough money to rent the room on my own, it would just be better not to. I'm not sure that you do, with how desperate you sound. All the other motels around here are more expensive, so. If you don't want the room, then, fine."

He grinned at the guy behind the counter.

"I'll take that room, then..."

"Fine," he snapped, still glaring. "I'll do it. But I don't want you to attempt any more of your sinful behaviors in my presence--I am a man of the cloth."

He placed his cash on the counter.

"A priest eh? Not the kind that touch kids, I hope. Not that that's something I can really judge you for, I have quite a bit of weird things in my ledger," he replied, chuckling. He took the keys from the man. "You're ugly."

Shrugging slightly, he headed towards their room.

"So, how old are you? Just making sure you're not underage, in case I cope a feel."

He stepped further away from him, keeping their distance around two feet.

"You take that back! Why, I've never known a priest to be so sinful as to take advantage of a child--I don't know what kind of lawless places you're used to, but at my monastery, there was no such thing! It was unheard of, simply unheard of."

He clutched his bags to his chest, as though he was afraid of Ace contaminating them.

"And as for my age, I'm sure that's irrelevant as their will be absolutely none of whatever you just implied. You will sleep on the floor and not touch me during my entire stay."

"You're right, I probably won't touch you, at least not a whole bunch," he replied, chuckling to himself. "Well, maybe. You know, I like you, and I usually hate crazy religious types. But, you know, it's kind of refreshing. I killed someone, you know. A lot of people, actually. Demons, but you wouldn't believe that."

He shrugged, opening the door to their room. "Well, home sweet home."

"I doubt a man like you knows anything of demons, much less how to exorcise them," he sniffed, setting his beg on the bed and rifling through it. "That is the work of a man of God.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to shower and change into my nightclothes so that I may relax after a long day. Please do not disturb me."

He zipped up the bag, clutching his folded pajamas close as he edged toward the bathroom.

He laughed loudly.

"I know exactly how to exorcise them, I'm surprised it works, though," he replied, laughing again. "Well, whatever, I'm gonna sleep."

When Clarke was in the shower he laid down on the bed, stripping off his clothes.

Ulric returned shortly, his hair damp but in its usual ponytail and his usual suit replaced by a pair of plain, fuzzy pajamas. He went to sit on the bed so he could read his Bible, but screeched when he saw Ace.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean--" He turned his back on him, red in the face. "Please finish changing!"

"I am finished changing," he replied, grinning. "I was hoping you'd be impressed. Are you? I think I have a pretty nice body."

"Put on clothes!" he exclaimed. "This is not some heathen bathhouse--I refuse to sleep until you our clothed. Nay, I refuse to move!"

"Well, stay up all night, then, I'll just sleep on the bed. It's comfortable, I rather like it." he pulled the blankets up, over his body, rolling onto his side. "Goodnight!"

"The bed is mine!" he exclaimed. "We had a deal--the floor is yours!"

"I don't remember agreeing to your stupid deal, in fact, I know I didn't. It's a stupid deal to agree to. Here's the new deal: I'll sleep naked in the bed, and either you join me or you don't. But if you do...I'm gonna molest the hell out of you."

Holding his hand up so he wouldn't have to look at Ace, Ulric snatched his bag from the bed and pulled out the Bible. He then sat in the chair by the tv and began to read, hoping to calm his nerves. He even mumbled a prayer to himself, touching the rosary that hung from his neck.

He could almost imagine he was alone in that room, and it was a comforting feeling.

"So, you believe, right?" he asked, pulling the blankets off so he could lay down on the edge of the bed, staring at Ulric. "I think that's hot. You're celibate, aren't you? Are you homophobic? Does it scare you that I could potentially overpower you like how you do with women?"

He smiled widely.

Ulric flinched, almost dropping his Bible. He gripped it so tightly that the pages began to wrinkle beneath his fingers.

"...Of course I am celibate. I am a man of God, if you didn't notice. And as for 'homophobia', as you call it, I've experienced no such thing--I am not frightened of homosexuals. I merely pity them, and their sinful lifestyle choices. It's a shame that lambs can be mislead to their own damnation in such a way.

"I don't fear you either, even if you are a homosexual or a rapist of women. God is my strength, and He will see me through anything."

"You're right, homophobic was the wrong word for you. Disgusting asshole is probably closer what I really meant. You're the type of religious guy who gives the rest of them a bad name, you know? People like you are the reason I was so angry as a kid growing up. I was always angry, but I was usually angry at priests. The ones at my church were all just like you. Wanted me to believe in something I couldn't see. I never heard or saw God. He never came to me. Maybe I was just too skeptical. Maybe I wasn't. Either way, I still don't have proof he exists, but I don't really care. I don't need him for my job, unlike you. If your God suddenly decided he didn't care about you, you'd probably die. Not me, though. I don't need God to kill demons, of any kind. I don't need him to kill the metaphorical ones or the real ones. I never have."

He took a deep breath, sighing.

"I hate talking this much, but a curse is a curse, you know? My dead girlfriend did this to me. She traded her soul for it. Stupid, stupid bitch. I killed her, you know. God still hasn't done anything to me for that. Maybe because I do his dirty work, whether he wants me to or not."

"...You are a sad, strange little man," he said, without turning around. "I see no need to waste my efforts on such a lost soul. Worry not--tomorrow we will part ways for good, you and I."

"You don't believe in fate?" he asked, grinning widely. "I think we met for a reason, you know. We're gonna be seeing a lot of each other, I think. With any luck, I'll be seeing a lot more of you than I've seen so far."

"...And what on Earth is that supposed to mean?" he asked, swallowing. "I have no sex drive, if you must know, only a desire to help the Lord. You sicken me."