Apprenticed to Pleasure

by Brandon Fox

  “Don’t worry. I can do that routine in my sleep. We’ll be fine. If I survive this breakfast.”

  Nodding, Ander began eating his grits with the same lack of enthusiasm. The white mush was almost tasteless. He ate with downcast eyes, the strain of their ride beginning to catch up with him. The mission was beginning to look reckless, and his unfinished testing at the lyceum gnawed at his confidence.

  A hand on his shoulder jolted him out of his reverie. “Why the long face? The grits aren’t that bad.”

  Ander put down his spoon and shrugged. “I’m just worried, I guess. About whether this is going to work. And whether I’m ever going to learn the art.” He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to dispel burgeoning anxiety. “I don’t know why I ever thought I could do this.”

  Nicolai’s face filled with concern. “You’re bothered about having botched the test with Thane, yes? Like the way you came too soon when you were fucking me. Sorel and I were talking about that yesterday, trying to think what might help. Maybe you shouldn’t use the sensitizing oils yet. Wait until you’ve had more practice controlling your reactions. Especially with somebody like Thane, who’s so sexy.”

  Ander gave him a feeble smile and repressed the urge to tell Nicolai what had really happened. “You and Sorel are just as irresistible, and you know it. I couldn’t hold back with you, either.”

  Nicolai sipped his tea with a thoughtful expression and then put the cup down. He put a hand on Ander’s thigh and squeezed gently. “Just let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. I know you’re already skilled at love. But there’s always more to learn.”

  The unassuming affection generated a quick reaction. Ander’s cock began to expand. He met Nicolai’s gaze, and his exhaustion from the grueling ride was forgotten.

  “Let’s go upstairs,” he said, his voice husky.

  Nicolai gave his leg another squeeze, then pushed his chair away from the table and followed to their room. Once they were inside, Ander’s shyness came back in a rush as Nicolai pulled off his boots and peeled off his shirt, muscles rippling. The northerner noticed his hesitation.

  “Is something wrong?” Then he saw Ander’s red face. He stepped close, wrapping his arms around Ander and holding him in a gentle embrace. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to rush you. Here, let me help with your shirt.”

  Still pressed close, he slid his hands into Ander’s pants and grabbed the shirt’s bottom edge. He pulled it upward as Ander raised his arms. The shirt slid off, and Nicolai dropped it to the floor. Then he wrapped his arms around Ander again, pressing the warm flesh of their chests together.

  Ander moved his hands over his companion’s back. Hard muscle moved beneath smooth skin. Though they were almost the same height, Nicolai’s more athletic build made Ander feel vulnerable.

  Nicolai bent his head and kissed him on the neck. His hands slipped down to Ander’s hips, and he pulled their crotches together. The mounds of their erections rubbed provocatively. Ander turned his head and parted his lips, letting Nicolai’s tongue slip inside. The heat of the kiss soon melted his lingering modesty.

  He moved his hands to the front of Nicolai’s pants. In moments he got the buttons unfastened and the leathers slid down. The northerner’s heavy phallus, upthrust and thick, pressed into his hands. He wrapped his fingers around the hot shaft, marveling that something so hard could feel so silky.

  Nicolai broke the kiss and gazed into his eyes. “It’s no wonder Thane is smitten. I’ve got to see the rest of you.” Before Ander could react, Nicolai picked him up and carried him the two steps to the bed and lowered him onto the red blanket. He removed Ander’s boots and unbuttoned his pants before tugging them off.

  Once he was nude, Nicolai stretched on top of him and enfolded him again in a warm embrace. Their cocks ground together as they renewed their kiss. He was breathless by the time Nicolai broke the kiss and rolled onto his side. They shared gentle caresses, enjoying companionable silence. Ander was mesmerized by the clean lines of Nicolai’s body shifting in the golden light and the potent sway of his erection.

  “Sorel is very lucky, having you as a lover,” he said. “It’s easy to see why he seduced you.”

  “No luckier than me. He’s an incredibly sensual creature. And judging by the way Thane acted yesterday, you’ve got a special friend yourself. We’re all fortunate to have found each other.”

  “I remember how Sorel said he met you.” Ander’s fingers drifted down Nicolai’s body, caressing with featherlight strokes. “In the town square, doing stunts. I’ve still never seen you do acrobatics. I’m looking forward to this afternoon.”

  Nicolai wrapped his fingers around Ander’s phallus and gave it a gentle tug. “No need to wait.” Rolling gracefully out of bed, he raised his hands over his head and spread his feet shoulder-width apart. He arched his back and bent his knees, reaching behind himself with his outstretched hands. In seeming defiance of gravity, he continued to arch backward, his hard muscles stretched taut, until his hands rested on the floor.

  “Beautiful.” Ander swung out of bed and stood beside Nicolai. The northerner’s thick hair hung toward the floor like a golden curtain. His body, strong but not bulky, glowed in the room’s filtered light.

  Ander touched the curves of hard muscle, feeling the solid planes of Nicolai’s chest and midriff. The acrobat’s cock stretched across his flat belly. Its head, shiny and wet, almost touched his navel, and the foreskin was pulled all the way back. It jerked in small spasms as Ander trailed his fingers along the taut muscles of inner thighs, and it lifted up from Nicolai’s stomach when Ander’s fingers brushed the silky gold hairs dusting his balls.

  Nicolai lifted his body into a handstand, then dropped his shoulders to the floor and rolled to his feet. He held his arms open to Ander. “What do you think?”

  “I still think Sorel is lucky.” He stepped into the outstretched arms. Nicolai bent his knees and cupped his hands under Ander’s buttocks. Then he lifted, his muscles hard as oak.

  Ander wrapped his legs around Nicolai’s waist and pressed his erection against the acrobat’s solid torso, his arousal making it slippery. The athlete’s cock speared up, its head gliding across his buttocks. After several bouts of enthusiastic squeezing and rubbing, Nicolai lowered him onto the bed and knelt between his legs. He caressed the sensitive flesh of Ander’s inner thighs just beneath the scrotum. “I loved it when you were inside me,” he said softly, his eyes locked to Ander’s. “But would you like to try it the other way around this time? I want to find out how much pleasure I can make you feel.”

  Ander nodded, fiercely aroused at the prospect, and spread his legs wider in invitation.

  Nicolai leaned over and picked up his cape. He took out his leather case and removed a vial containing clear fluid, then held it up. “Just a lubricant. Nothing to increase sensitivity this time.” He removed the cork stopper and poured thick fluid into the palm of his other hand. He stroked the cleft between Ander’s buttocks, gently working the slick oil into the opening before using the rest of the vial’s contents to coat the length of his erection. A faint musky fragrance filled the air.

  Ander pulled his legs up alongside his torso, but Nicolai only placed the head of his cock between Ander’s buttocks. Then he leaned forward to support himself on strong arms before lowering his head until their lips brushed. His features were flushed, suffused with desire. “I’ve wanted to do this since I met you. It will be good for both of us.”

  “I want you too. You’re a true friend. And have much to teach me.”

  They kissed, tongues wrestling and exploring each other’s mouths. Nicolai lowered his body as the kiss intensified. Soon their chests pressed against each other, and his hands slid beneath Ander’s shoulders. He pulled their bodies together as the head of his cock slipped into Ander’s body, one more stimulus among the flood of sensations he lavished on his partner. His midriff pressed against Ander’s straining erection as he slowly slid further inside.

/>   It wasn’t until they broke the kiss that Ander became fully aware that the thick phallus was already lodged halfway inside him. Despite its size and hardness, the lubricant was incredibly slick, and he had felt nothing but pleasure during the slow entry. Nicolai grinned as he saw the realization dawn. He slid in another inch, just far enough for his glans to rest against the spot that yielded greatest pleasure for Ander, then rocked his hips to nudge it.

  Ander gasped, almost overwhelmed with pleasure. Clear fluid oozed from his cock and smeared his skin. Nicolai slid further in, his cock moving in a slow glide over the sensitive spot, until he was sheathed to the hilt in Ander’s body.

  “Now I’ll show you some more gymnastics,” Nicolai said. “This is Sorel’s favorite trick.”

  Without withdrawing his cock, he began to kiss and lick his way down Ander’s body. He lingered on each nipple, sucking and biting lightly. Then he moved lower, pausing to lick up the slick fluid smeared across Ander’s torso. He was every bit as limber as Sorel had claimed.

  Before Ander realized what he was planning, Nicolai’s tongue dragged across the bottom of his glans. His smooth cock twitched and oozed fluid onto Nicolai’s lips as the northerner curled into a tighter ball. As Ander writhed, he took the glans between his lips. He put his hands on Ander’s hips and held him firmly. Slowly, he eased halfway out. The oil made his phallus glide effortlessly. He reversed the motion and pushed back in, using his grip on Ander’s hips to draw his mouth down on his partner’s glistening erection.

  Ander closed his eyes and shuddered, his fingers entwined in Nicolai’s thick hair as he reveled in the sensations coursing through his body. He was lightheaded, and the feeling intensified as the tingling sensation in his groin spread.

  Nicolai pulled firmly, bending so Ander’s cock slid down his throat to its base. At the same time, he began to move Ander’s body back and forth, his muscular arms and shoulders bulging, using Ander’s flesh to stroke the length of his cock.

  Ander panted, helpless in the strong grip, but Nicolai didn’t relent. He pressed his lips around Ander’s slippery cock as it slid over his tongue and down his throat. In a dazzling display of strength, he began to slowly rock his pelvis back and forth in time with his sucking and his manipulation of Ander’s body. His control was absolute.

  Ander’s response was beyond his conscious control. He started arching his back to help Nicolai’s deep slides. Soft black hair fell unnoticed over his eyes. The red blanket bunched beneath his shoulders as he writhed.

  He started to shiver as his pleasure became uncontrollable, and his balls pulled up tight against the base of his cock. He remembered Nicolai’s advice and tried to think of the long ride from Thane’s estate, of pleasuring his partner, anything that might distract him from the dizzying sensations filling his body. But the intensity of their lovemaking made it impossible to think of anything else. The most he could manage was to clench during Nicolai’s outward strokes, trying to grasp the rigid phallus as it withdrew. Nicolai’s grunt of satisfaction told him the effort was succeeding.

  “I’m close!”

  Nicolai bobbed his head, acknowledging the warning. He fucked and sucked with slow, deep strokes, pleasuring himself and his partner in equal measure, maintaining control with iron discipline.

  Ander was delirious, losing awareness of everything except the waves of pleasure surging through him. His body went rigid with his cock fully down Nicolai’s throat. The northerner bent at the waist, his body curled tight as his erection again slid in all the way.

  Ander moaned and shook as his seed erupted in powerful spurts. The thick fluid bathed Nicolai’s tongue and throat as he kept sucking. Ander’s ecstasy and squeezing muscles triggered Nicolai’s release.

  Ander struggled in his companion’s strong grasp, overcome by the intensity of his orgasm, as Nicolai nudged his phallus repeatedly against the sensitive spot that drove him wild. He could feel the thick shaft pulsing inside him as they released their seed at the same time.

  Finally his cock emptied its last spurts, and he collapsed on the bed. Nicolai eased out, ending their coupling as gently as he had begun it.

  The northerner uncurled his body as Ander let his legs drop to the bed. After a quick backward flex of his broad shoulders, relieving the strained muscles, he stretched out on top of his companion. He tenderly kissed Ander’s neck and face as their cocks rubbed together, moist and warm from their lovemaking.

  Ander sighed and put his arms around Nicolai. “I’m in awe of your skill.”

  Nicolai kissed him again, then rolled to his side and pulled Ander close. “It’s a matter of practice. All Thane’s students are skilled, as you will be. He has high expectations for you.”

  The words echoed in Ander’s mind as he drifted off to sleep. He wished he was as confident as Nicolai. What if Thane changed his mind about his potential, or he couldn’t learn to perceive the kei? As always, the future was a blank slate. He decided to concentrate on the moment, on the solid feel of the warm body pressed against his back.

  He snuggled against Nicolai, feeling a contentment that he knew couldn’t last. But for the next few hours, he rested soundly in his friend’s warm embrace.

  AS BEFIT its status as a provincial capital, Fochelis boasted several public baths. And as was customary, the main bathhouse on the city’s central plaza also served as a focal point for socializing, entertainment, and business dealings. The huge building was covered with creamy-hued marble surrounded by fluted black columns with ornately molded capitals. It was divided into three sections: a large hall for dining and entertainment in the center, baths for men on the left, and baths for women on the right.

  Ander stood at the bottom of the broad staircase leading to the central building’s entrance, clutching his guitar. “I’ve never played anywhere like this. It’s so big! What if they think I’m no good?”

  Nicolai squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “Leave it to me. If I do my job, they’ll have something else on their minds. Let’s go see the lay of the land.” He squared his shoulders and started up the stairs. Ander followed, nervously watching the richly dressed men and women gliding through the building’s towering doors.

  Sound and warmth engulfed them as soon as they entered the great hall. A performance area defined by a ring of lamps lay in front of them, flanked on both sides by terraces filled with tables. About half the tables were occupied by patrons listening to a young woman in the performance area sing a love ballad. Her clear voice soared to the top of the stone vault far above. Ander listened, impressed and intimidated, while Nicolai slipped away to remove his outer clothes. He would perform in nothing but a loincloth, the traditional garb for acrobats.

  The crowd offered scattered applause when the woman finished. They were obviously accustomed to fine performers. Ander fidgeted while the woman left the stage, wondering why he had thought they had any chance against such stiff competition.

  Nicolai appeared by his side. His long gray cloak still covered most of his body. He slapped Ander on the back. “We’re next. I bribed the stage manager. Are you ready?”

  He took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m as ready as I’m going to get. Where should I sit?”

  Nicolai pointed to a carved chair the stage manager was just then moving to the side of the performance area. “There. Remember, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine as long as you keep a steady rhythm and don’t stray from the music we agreed on. Concentrate on playing as well as you can. We’ll only have one chance to get hired for the prefect’s banquet.”

  Ander felt as if all eyes were on him as he sat in the chair. But that changed as soon as Nicolai strode to the center of the stage. He bowed once to each side, smiling radiantly, his symmetrical northern features dazzling. With a flourish he unfastened his cloak and tossed it aside.

  A hush fell over the room as Nicolai raised his arms. Hard muscles, oiled just before they’d left the inn, glistened in the lamps’ soft light. Murmurs of appreciation and anticipat
ion went around the room. Ander allowed himself a quick glance upward and saw that all eyes were riveted on the northerner’s strapping body. Nicolai turned his head and nodded, the cue to begin playing.

  Ander took a deep breath and launched into the galliard they had chosen for the routine. The fingering was difficult, the tempo daunting. He bent over his instrument and forgot about the crowd. The slap of Nicolai’s bare feet on the stage, followed by gasps and applause, told him the opening dive roll and series of piked somersaults had gone well.

  He concentrated on the music, glancing up only when the crowd roared its approval for Nicolai’s smooth transition from a straddle press to a one-armed handstand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friend’s rigid body shining like burnished gold. Then he gracefully lowered himself for another pass across the stage, a series of flips leading to a double-twisting back somersault. Ander would have loved to watch, but his own performance was almost as demanding. The galliard raced to a climax at the same moment as Nicolai’s landing. But he needn’t have worried; the crowd’s cheers during his friend’s final pass drowned out the most difficult part of the music. He looked up and saw Nicolai standing with his arms raised and pressed back like wings. The crowd adored him, clapping and banging mugs on tables.

  Turning to face him, Nicolai made a sweeping gesture in his direction. Ander stood and took a bow. He doubted the crowd had much interest in his music but still couldn’t help smiling.

  The next act, an exotic dancer whose body was concealed by silk veils in a multitude of colors, was already moving toward the center of the stage. Nicolai gave her a gracious bow before striding over to Ander.

  “I think they liked us,” he whispered as a flute started playing and the dancer began to undulate across the stage. “Let’s take advantage of the baths while waiting to see if the bait was taken.”

  A short passage brought them to the dressing area of the men’s baths. They left their clothes and Ander’s guitar in the care of an attendant, then entered a large room containing two heated pools. Mosaics depicting dolphins and mythical Drinian sea serpents covered the walls, and skylights admitted clear light. Sun reflecting off the water cast flickering light against the mosaics, making it look as if the sea serpents were moving. They chose an unoccupied stretch of the pool and eased into the warm water.