Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2015 16:19:12 +0000 (UTC)
From: kevin Donovan <letsgonaked2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: Prince Among Men

A PRINCE AMONG MEN

BY KEVIN DONOVAN

CHAPTER ONE


This story is original, gay erotic fiction.  It does include graphic
descriptions of sexual acts between men, none of whom are portrayed as
minors.  It is intended for an audience of adults who wish to read such
material.  If you are a minor, offended by such descriptions, or it is
illegal to possess them where you live, then proceed no further.

Your comments are welcome at letsgonaked2000@yahoo.com


Please consider a contribution to Nifty.Org to keep the stories you love
available for everyone.

June, 2018, Ganymede, the Principality of Arsenikos

     As there was no door to open, Julian entered the sleepspace
soundlessly on bare feet. It was the breeze that stirred the curtain, not
the new arrival. Erik was awake, though, and he sensed his mate's presence
almost immediately. He leaned back just a few degrees to look, and with
that small movement, his cock, at three-quarters erection, slipped wetly
out of Trent's slickened ass. Trent stirred beside him.

     "Come in, Love. Join us," Erik murmured. Trent heard that, and opened
his eyes to smile at the new arrival.

     "No fair," he protested. "You didn't have to take your dick out."

     Erik kissed his ear. "Not to worry, Light of My Life, it slipped out
accidentally, and it can easily be reinserted. Maybe two of them, now."

     Trent gave an appreciative, anticipatory moan. He felt a weight on his
side of the wide, softly supportive mattress. It was Julian, sitting,
smiling affectionately.

     "I don't mean to interrupt, though. If you two are happily engaged,
I'll wait."

     Trent reached out to stroke Julian's muscular thigh. "Your timing is
perfect. I just exhausted the last of Erik's available sperm supply. If I'm
to get any more tonight, I have to look elsewhere. You are generally good
for a few loads, while Lover-boy recoups. Make him jealous, Jule."

     "Let's make him horny. That's just as good and brings better results."
Julian swung around to lie facing Trent on the opposite side from Erik. His
lips caressed Trent's lazily, but erotically.

     "With Willie away, it does get lonely in my own bed."

     "You could have gone to London with him." Erik sounded as if he might,
indeed, be just a bit jealous.

     "But it's so cold there, and the traffic is abominable. The food!
Ugh. And here, I do have compensating delights, being with you and this
beautiful, beautiful boy."

     "OK, now I AM jealous. It seems so short a time since I was the
beautiful, beautiful boy." The mock-pique in Erik's voice made Trent smile
under Julian's tender kisses.

     "You are still beautiful, beautiful, my love, but you are no longer
the boy of this coupling. Why, oh why, does one always lust after the
fast-fading rose, the exquisite perfection of the youth? I cannot explain
the mystery. I only know that there is no place else I would rather hide my
sausage than right here in this sexy young man's ass. I am powerless to
resist him."

     "Then don't exert yourself by trying. I'm carrying three servings of
Erik baby-batter now, and I'll do my best to accommodate all you care to
leave me tonight, too. Then more of Erik's by morning, if I don't drown."

     "Let's DP," suggested Erik. "Let me stay in, on bottom, and just ride
it out, while you, Julian, enter from the top and do the work. That way,
Trent gets filled to the max, and I get a nice little dick-massage from
your efforts."

     Trent shifted to sit atop Erik's now-hardening member, while Julian
lifted Trent's feet over his own beefy shoulders and poised his erect
member at the juncture between the other two men. He pressed, and his cock
slid slowly in alongside Erik's.

     "Damn. I would never have dreamed I'd one day be able to accommodate
two big honkin' dicks like you two have, or that any two men the likes of
you would ever want to fuck me, separately or together. It just amazes me,
still." Trent was incredibly, astonishingly blessed, and deliriously
happy. Sometimes, the wonder of it almost overwhelmed him with joy and
awe. What a change, since he embarked on this adventure only five years
earlier.



May, 2013, New York, New York, USA

  The taxi had driven off, but the young man, a tall and exceptionally
handsome fellow, stood at the curb like some waif. Wearing khaki cargo
shorts, a clean, white tee shirt, and flip-flop sandals, he was
empty-handed, equipped only with sunglasses and a cap, wallet and passport,
and two computer thumb-drives containing all of the files he wanted to
keep, in his pocket. All as instructed. The computer itself had been sold,
along with his smart-phone; and everything else, not much really, given
away. He was making a radical and permanent change in his life.

 This had to be the place, he knew. The address 914 was proclaimed boldly
enough in large gold numerals beside the imposing black door. The shiny
brass plaque beneath the numerals bore a distinguished-looking coat of
arms, beside which, on opposite sides, stood two beefy bas-relief male
figures, nude, but each supporting a spear in his outside hand. Around the
edge, was the inscription, "Homines hominibus: The Principality of
Arsenikos," kind of a mixed metaphor, linguistically, with Latin motto and
Greek name. "Men for Men." So that had to be it. But the building,
limestone façade at ground level, and stone-trimmed glass above, was
almost as narrow as a town-house, soaring some thirty stories high above
the city street. It seemed almost tucked away among even taller buildings,
not at all ostentatious or even very noticeable.

     It wasn't because of the building that Trent stood looking so
long. This was a moment he had planned for five years now, and really, had
been preparing for, all of his conscious life. He had gathered information
and considered his choice very carefully, and he was certain of his
decision to go in. Still, he knew that if he passed all his tests and was
cleared to walk through that inner door, there would be no turning back. He
would become an Arsenikan, and he would live in the island principality for
the remainder of his life.

 Arsenikos: Greek for "male, masculine, virile." Arsenikos is an island
nation, free and independent, for men only. "You don't have to be gay to
live there, but it helps," read one of the blog posts he had read early
on. Well, he was gay all right. As for Jews entering Israel, citizenship is
automatic and can be granted immediately upon disembarkingbut in this case,
only to pre-qualified males. And whereas non-Jews can visit Israel, and
citizens can come and go at will, that is not so with Arsenikans. Trent
already knew, even prior to his coming orientation, that only approved men
could go there, and afterward they could not leave the island, except
permanently, or in groups supervised as carefully as North Koreans. The
concern was not pollution by foreign ideas, but infection by foreign
diseases. Arsenikos is a nation free from HIV, free from HPV. Free from all
forms of hepatitis, and clap, and pox, and Chlamydia, free even from
herpes, cooties, lice, and crabs. It has no STD's at all. It is Gay Man's
Paradise.

 Trent had found out about it five years earlier, as a high school senior,
from a soccer team-mate named Ralph, whose cousin had recently gone
there. Ralph was making fun of it, putting down his cousin and all
Arsenikans and everything they stood for, using graphically homophobic and
hateful language, not aware that Trent knew himself to be potentially one
of the Arsenikans, and already factually one of the homos. They hadn't
taught students about this place in high school geography class! Nor did it
appear on any map the teen had consultedhe checked many. Only in an on-line
search did he find out more details: three tiny islands close together,
tropical climate; total population 184,000, more than half of that on the
largest, main island of Ganymede; a protectorate of that most uncolonial of
nations, Switzerland, and dependent on Swiss neutrality and non-militarism
for its legitimacy. (Most Swiss themselves, apparently, did not even know
about that arrangement!) Arsenikos has the highest literacy rate in the
world (100%, with 93% college graduates), the highest functional per capita
incomemeasuring satisfaction and comfort of life-style rather than absolute
dollars-- (more than double that of the U. S.), the highest male life
expectancy (85 years and climbing), the lowest unemployment rate
(inconsequential, almost entirely men between jobs briefly), and the lowest
incarceration rate (negligible). So reports Wikipedia, in an entry decried
as pure pinko liberal propaganda by numerous conservative blogs, many
questioning even the existence of the place, and noted by the online
encyclopedia itself as lacking proper references. After all, reporters and
film crews can't just show up there, though some have tried. Arsenkos does
have a Coast Guard!

 When Trent came out to his parents, not long after that little revelation
through Ralph, and "they did not take it well" was established as the
understatement of the century, he began to make his plans. He chose his
university not so much because of their high academic status, though it had
that, but because they gave him the full-ride scholarship, and his dad
definitely did not send faggots to college, or even let them put their
pansy feet under his table, or park their nasty fudge-packing fuck-hole on
his couch (one could go on). Trent lived with an aunt, only slightly less
militantly anti-fag, for the remaining four months until high school
graduation. He would persevere to graduate from the University with honors,
in finance, because he was good at that, and because Arsenikos is a major
player in banking and finance, though it has no on-site university of its
own (but plenty of good on-line study programs connected with prestigious
institutions abroad, and a handful of off-campus graduate programs in key
areas, for future graduate studies). And he would remain pure as the driven
snow sexually, because that was the only way he could be certain that he
was free from any little stow-aways that would spoil his plans for
immigration and life in Gay Paradise.

 Yes, standing there in front of that consulate building in Manhattan, at
the age of twenty-two, Trent Lockridge was still a virgin in every possible
way, maybe the last one left of his birth year, as far as he could tell. It
wasn't for lack of opportunity. As handsome as he was, he had fought off
numerous attacks on his mouth, genitals, or anus by both females and males
as if his life depended on it--as for him, it seemed to do--leaving
confusion and consternation among all his acquaintances; and even though it
had cost him painful blue-balls and hours upon hours of desperate, private
masturbation, and even though he made Tommy Anderson cry that time back in
high school at the Honor Society picnic, when Trent declined Tommy's
apprehensive offer of sexual services, he had made it. That one cost him
more than the twenty minutes of placating, consoling, and reassuring Tommy
required to keep him from hanging himself in panic that Trent would rat on
him to the world in general. In fact, Trent had been strongly attracted to
him, too, and to say the least, had craved Tommy's body. Had Tommy not
already been servicing several of the highly promiscuous backs on the
football team, he would have tried to get him to move to Arsenikos, too.

 So Trent was the Ice King back at school, the man with the face and body
of very nice dreams, and a cock to imagine fully erect only in dreamsall a
total waste as far as anyone who knew him was concerned. That day, outside
the Arsenikan Embassy, the Ice King was ready to melt. He took a deep
breath, and stepped up to the heavy black door.

 Just inside, in a small, enclosed vestibule, a strapping, African-American
guard (very hot-looking, in a uniform clearly designed to display all of
his manly assets to best advantage) took his name, consulted a small
electronic device, and buzzed him further in. A larger, well-appointed
lobby, with just a few chairs, some plants, and attractive original art on
the walls stood empty of occupants. But immediately, a door opposite
opened, and a smiling, matronly woman appeared, hand extended.

 "Welcome to Arsenikos, Mr. Lockridge. It's good to meet you."

 She explained that she was Jenny, an embassy employee, and she would be
conducting his tests. She led him into the corridor from which she had just
emerged, and from there to a small room, with a couple of chairs and a
desk, not unlike a physician's examination room. .

 "Strip for me, and put all your clothing into this bag," she instructed
cheerfully. "If you go on from here to Arsenikos, you will need these only
for the walk through emigration. They'll let you take the flip-flops, cap,
your passport, wallet, glasses, and memory sticks. The rest stays
behind. If you are not approved for immigration, you go back out exactly as
you came in. But it's just possible that I may be the last female you ever
see in person. Don't be shy; I do this every day."

 Her lapel speaker sputtered with the voice of the guard. "Mr. Samuels is
here."

 Jenny smiled again, and with, "Be right back," she left him.

 Trent wasn't accustomed to taking all his clothes off in strange places,
and at the behest of strange women, but this was not a routine
situation. She said strip, so he stripped, folding his clothing and placing
it in the bag.

 "Hope I never see you guys again, after emigration," he told the garments
ruefully. On his student budget, they weren't much for threads, anyway, he
thought, hoping they don't even have a Wal-mart in Arsenikos (they don't).

 Jenny did return momentarily, and she didn't seem the least surprised at
his complete nudity, though he did think she took a slight double-take
after a quick glance at his nude form. She asked him to sit, and the
process continued.

 The testing was extensive, as Trent had been warned to expect, taking
almost three hours. First, Jenny drew blood, and she swabbed inside his
cheek. She checked his blood pressure, his temperature (both normal), his
height (six feet even), and his weight (one seventy-seven). She scanned the
pupil of his eye, and she took a full set of fingerprints, made a dental
mold, and an iris scan. Then, while she went to do the same for
Mr. Samuels, and apparently a Mr. Owen, who had also arrived, she left him
to pee into a little cup.  Upon returning to collect his specimens, she had
him turn to a laptop at the desk and begin some questionnaires, after which
came a battery of psychological tests, aptitude and personality tests, and
some that, frankly, Trent had no idea what they might be for. He was naked
and alone for most of that time.

 At last, he faced a screen declaring, "Congratulations! You have completed
our full battery of diagnostic evaluations! Please remain seated. In just a
few moments, our representative will return to give you your results."

 In ten minutes, Jenny did, indeed, return. She was smiling.

 "We're smoking today, Mr. Lockridge!" she said. "Only one turn-down in
this group, for HPVthat's so prevalent, and so many people don't know they
have it. But you, by the way, are not that one. Welcome again to Arsenikos,
Mr. Lockridge. Trent. You will be departing for your new home on tomorrow
morning's flight, if you choose to go."

 "Oh, I choose."

 "I'm sure. Even so, the next step is to meet with an Arsenikan staffer,
Erik Johansen, who will give you an orientation to the Principality and
what life is like there. You've not met a citizen yetthat couldn't happen
until you had passed all the bug tests. But he'll answer very frankly any
questions you may have. No need to fly you over, only to have you want to
run right back home again if it doesn't suit you. They want to be as sure
as they can be about that before you go. From here on in, you will
associate only with Arsenikan citizens, Trent. You'll have no further
physical contact with outsiders at all. So this is farewell, and best
wishes to you in your new life."

 She again shook his hand, him fully nude and her fully clothed, and again
he felt that quick once-over glance. She opened the door at the side
opposite the entrance, and gestured him through. Within, he saw two other
naked men, already seated in white leather chairs. There were half a dozen
more chairs, empty, facing a screen. In front of the screen, a buffet table
held a large platter of fresh fruits and vegetables and several pitchers of
beverages.

 "Sam Owens and Russell Harrison are there, already. Gentlemen, Trent
Lockridge. Mr. Adams, Mr. Demaris, and Mr. Blake will be joining you
shortly."

 No Mr. Samuels. He must have been the HPV case. Trent stepped inside as
the others rose to shake his hand.

 Hank Adams, Joey Demaris, and Eddie Blake did join them within the next
few minutes, and then Jenny was gone for good. Trent felt light-headed. His
dream of several years was coming true, and he was elated, relieved, and
apprehensive all at once.

 Sam Owens was an eighteen-year-old construction worker, with dark ebony
skin, a dazzling, room-lighting smile, and a dick like a donkey. Russell
Harrison, appropriately to his name, was a tall, freckled red-head,
red-headed all over, in fact, twenty-one-years old, and pretty well hung as
well, if his flaccid, uncut five-incher was any indication. Hank Adams was
a lanky, thirty-year old Texan, whose mid-region appeared never to have
seen sunlight. He had short brown hair from head to scruffy chin, and on
down the front of his body past a puff of dark pubes and hairy legs to
long, white feet. A couple of tattoos festooned his shoulders. His cock
looked average, uncut. Joey Demaris was a late-twenties Mediterranean type,
twenty pounds over-weight, dark haired, hairy, and blessed with enormous
balls, but just a medium-sized uncut, limp dick. Eddie Blake, tall and
blonde, was a California surfer dude in appearance, light body hair, sleek,
all-over tanned skin with taut musculature underneath, and a nice, plump,
cut cock with an enticing knob head. How these guys had escaped sexual
promiscuity and its inevitable pollutions was tough to imagine.

 I could have sex right now with any one, or all, of these men, on the
floor of this room, and it wouldn't hurt a thing!' he thought,
smiling. What a reality-bender that was, compared to the scary,
latex-wrapped world he'd just abandoned. All five of his companions of the
moment were pretty fuck-worthy, too, some exceptionally so. Stillfor his
first fuck, he'd built up high hopes. He wondered how he would know how to
pick the right man to take his cherry, and if he'd be able to wait for that
man to show up and pluck it.

 The interior door opened, and a handsome thirtyish-looking
Mediterranean-type fellow entered, nude, of course, fit, and evenly
tanned. He invited the group to the buffet and offered them cool fruit
drinks, some of which were fermenteddifferent, but tasty. "There is no
minimum age for alcohol, men. We don't have a lot of boys anyway, but we
find that making a thing forbidden only glamorizes it to the adolescent. So
enjoy." He was glancing at Sam when he said that. A second nude man
entered, an attractive Asian, pushing a cart containing several vessels of
hot foods. There was a corn chowder, a beef roast, and a potato gratin. The
table also contained a nice salmon and a platter of real, chef-made veal
parmigiana. The selection was fresh, attractive, and very appetizing.

 "I expect your tummies are beginning to rumble. If you like beef, better
chow down today. We do have beef in Arsenikos, but it's expensivelike $200
for a nice steak--because we don't have room to graze very many big
livestock. We have a lot of pigs, thoughthey live in smaller spaces and
don't graze. Goats, sheep, ostrich, all kinds of fowl, and rabbitsthey are
as common as chicken. So these foods today are NOT typical of Arsenikan
fare, just the opposite. They are things you won't get a lot of over
there. For us, those who eat meat, anyway, a great birthday celebration is
not with a cake, but with a crown rib roast or a nice filet mignon. But if
you like seafood, fowl, and fresh fruits and vegetables, you're in for a
real treat over there. And a good 50% of our population is some form or
other of vegetarian." So Trent had the beef, potatoes, asparagus, and salad
for lunch, and the group of naked emigrants sat together at a round table
and filled one another in further on their histories.

 It was revealed that Sam, youngest of the group, just finished high
school, but had no real interest in college. He had an interest in getting
away from the blatant and dangerous homophobia of his recent workplace and
neighborhood thugs, though. Sports, a fit body, and a masculine demeanor
had protected him so far, but once he approached the first few guys for
sex, that could all come crumbling down, and he knew it.

 Russ still had a year left on his degree in culinary arts, but he'd
learned he could finish on-line, and he'd gotten a scare recently over
starting to fall for a guy in his class who suddenly came down with
hepatitis. It was a close call, and he had decided to make his move early,
while he still could.

 Hank had served in the army and then worked on ranches. He knew all about
homophobia, and he knew about quick, lustful gropes, sucks, and fucks that
ended, too often, in contempt, violence, and rejection, too. He was amazed
himself that he'd made this choice and been accepted, and he was filled
with wonder over what might be next for him in this new life. There
wouldn't be many cows in need of poking in his new home!

 Joey had worked in an insurance office after finishing NYU. He'd been shy
and backward, making a few clumsy passes at girls, but unable to bring
himself to solicit a guy, such as he really fantasized over. He looked
forward to getting into shape and into the swing of man on man. This was a
big step for himhe'd lived with his divorced mother until she had died
recently, of breast cancer.

 And Eddie, what a hunk! He was no dummy, having finished San Jose State in
math, of all things, but he had stuck with his life-guard job until now
while he surfed his ass off, completed his quest for the perfect tan at
Black's Beach, and made up his mind whether he really wanted to give up
girls completely or not. He'd decided he did.

 Sam had little body hair, Hank and Joey were fully furred, and the other
guys trimmed, as Trent did himself.

 Trent's own sharing was not exactly full-disclosure. He kept to himself
the part about him being a total virgin. Even though it got him safely to
the place he was at that moment, he couldn't quite get past the feeling,
imposed by the culture, that it was somehow a shameful condition. He was
beginning to feel a little bit like a side of beef, too, and that was
making him turn shy. The other men were starting to eye him, and sometimes
one another as well, a bit hungrily. Trent wondered when, and how, the sex
would begin.

 A door opened, and the god Apollo entered the room, entirely nude, as
Greek divinities ought to be. Every eye turned to him, and Trent realized
after a moment that he had been holding his breath. No, this could not be
Apollo after all, for his accent when he spoke revealed Nordic ancestry,
though he was not blond: Balder, maybe. The man was about six feet one,
maybe 185, and his image was jaw-slacking, drooling, eye-glazing jack off
material for a lifetime. He had broad shoulders, prominent pectorals,
bulging biceps, and a wash-board abdomen. His hair was jet black, thick and
straight, on his head; visible as just a shadow above his lip and on his
chin; reappearing in a small, discreet triangle in the center of his chest;
dribbling down in just a light sprinkle past his navel; widening slightly
into a trimmed, neat pubic patch; and then flowing smoothly and lightly
down his muscled thighs, thickening somewhat on shapely calves, and ending
on the tops of his well-proportioned, nicely-arched, strong, bare feet. His
skin was smooth, supple, and very light-colored, though darkened by
sun-exposure on his face and shoulders, and showing no signs of a swimsuit
stripe. He walked to the space in front of the men's chairs with perfect
poise, totally at ease with his body and his nudity. He leaned his ass on
the seat of a stool there, and he crossed his feet at the ankles. Trent's
eyesprobably all eyesfastened compulsively on the man's dangling,
beautiful, uncut dick, and his ample, shaved scrotum. This was Trent's
first introduction to Erik Johansen.





A PRINCE AMONG MEN

BY KEVIN DONOVAN

CHAPTER TWO

This story is original, gay erotic fiction. It does include graphic
descriptions of sexual acts between men, none of whom are portrayed as
minors. It is intended for an audience of adults who wish to read such
material. If you are a minor, offended by such descriptions, or it is
illegal to possess them where you live, then proceed no further.

June, 2018, Ganymede, The Principality of Arsenikos

     Erik did not cum during the double penetration, but Julian certainly
did, bathing Trent's insides and Erik's big cock with his semen. For Trent,
the experience was painfuland wonderful. It stretched his anus beyond its
usual limits, but it also filled him as nothing else. He was not into
fisting, or dildos much. A live man's large, warm, firm cock was his
preferred insertion, and all the men of his coupling were large, warm, and
firm in the cock department, particularly Erik and the absent Willie. Trent
had the hots for all of them, but he was permanently horny for his primary
partner. He just couldn't seem to get enough of that man's big dick up his
slimy ass. Fortunately, Erik felt the same on that score, though he enjoyed
being on the receiving end of Trent's substantial unit as well.

 Trent knew that Julian would be wanting some dick, too, after his
exertion. Not waiting to be asked, he flipped the older man onto his back
and mounted him, as Erik lay beside them, watching Trent position himself,
then his taut hips rising and falling over Julian' pelvis. Julian might be
thirty-five now, but he was still a seriously good-looking man, and in
Arsenikos, age did not generally matter all that much, anyway. It was
considered just a natural part of life, not something to blame or reject
anyone over. In part, that was because the Arsenikan men were all so damned
fit, no matter their age. Julian certainly was. An inch under six feet in
height, he had short-trimmed dark hair, well groomed, over his chest and
legs. Trent let loose of his ejaculate in his partner's colon with a deep
sigh, and Julian turned his head slightly to give him a passionate,
appreciative kiss.

MAY, 2013, New York City, New York

 Erik revealed that he was originally Icelandic. His father had emigrated
to Arsenikos when Erik was just eight, and at age sixteen, he had joined
him there. He was now twenty-six and had been working with the Embassy for
four years.

 "When you guys fly out tomorrow, I'll be with you. Since we are virtually
confined to this building while we are in the States, we only serve a
three-month stint and then rotate out. Tomorrow, I return home for some
vacation, and then I'll be working back home for six months before
returning here. Virtually everyone who works for the principality does
these rotationsit's how we prevent some men from having to be permanent
exiles." His English was perfect, with just a slight Scandinavian lilt to
it, but there was something else, tooTrent heard hints of Romance language
accents, too, along with a mysterious ingredient. Screens descended from
the ceiling behind him, and Erik began his orientation, using a beautifully
made audio-visual presentation in high definition digital video.

 Arsenkos was established in 1951, over six decades earlier, by Europeans
looking for a homeland for gays somewhat along the lines of Israel for
Jews. Rather than taking a specific homeland from its present occupants,
these men, "the Founders," had raised the funds to purchase their
islands. Only a small village on one island had to be relocated, and the
villagers were pretty happy with the deal they got, transporting them to
more prosperous lives on a larger island with more opportunities, and a
bankroll to finance them. The three islands were in a cluster, no more than
twenty miles apart, and the other two had been in private hands prior to
the war. But the men of Arsenikos went to work, building up and developing
their new homeland. On one island, they actually raised the level of its
land to protect it from the ravages of the seas; they added rich soils and
introduced some productive plants; they laid out towns and villages, with
green space and neat suburbs in between, and began to build infrastructures
to support them. Fortunately, they had architects, landscapers,
construction contractors, engineers, and designers among their number, some
specifically solicited for their skills. But before they began, they
thought out, and argued, and negotiated over what kind of homeland they
would create. They came to a highly popular and lasting consensus, still
holding after its recent golden anniversary.

 Men began to arrive, with the focus then on political and social freedom
and safety from persecution. The Holocaust had taken its toll on the gay
men of Europe, whether directly in the Nazi path or not, and they formed
the core of the first citizenry. In Arsenikos, it was normal to be gay. Men
could be themselves safely, and no one had to hide his true nature. From
the beginning, nudity and gay sex were legal, anytime and anyplace, on
Arsenikos, and both were universally practiced. The population grew as word
of mouth spread around the globe. It was not until 1985, with the AIDS
panic in full swing among gay men, that growth really took off, and the
present focus on health and avoidance of STD's became equally
important. Soon there would be limits on immigration, with incoming
arrivals allowed only to match losses by death or departures. At present,
work was underway building a fourth island, by dredging up stone and sand
from one ocean ridge nearby and transporting it to another that would serve
as the foundation. It was to be completed in five years, and then a new
city would be built that would provide space for another 120,000 men.

 In Arsenikos, with the awareness that a bold, revolutionary experiment was
being undertaken, the Founders had chosen the newly coined "universal"
language of Esperanto right off as the national language. That made
everyone equal, all having to wrestle with the same challenge or learning a
new language together. The men had plenty of time to learn new things,
however, and most Arsenkans also spoke at least a couple of other
languages. English and French were almost universally understood. Asian and
African tongues as well were also commonly heard on the streets. In the
linguistic melting-pot, words and phrases from various languages were being
absorbed into common usage, and by now, Arsenkan Esperanto had become a
fully evolved, active language, with a rich store of vocabulary and even
slang,

 Arsenikos adopted political hybrid system, Erik explained, that combines
libertarianism in some areas of life with socialism in others. For example,
nudity there continues to be absolutely normal, everywhere. The law is
silent on the subject. There is no practical need for clothing, and no one
bothers with it, except perhaps as adornment, not coverage, for some
special occasion. There is no fashion or clothing industry, except for a
purely local one making wraps, capes, head-coverings, footwear, and such
out of very fine fabrics for fancy occasions.

 Fitness is a national obsession in Arsenkos. There are no spectator
sports. Everyone leads an active lifestyle, according to his own
ability. Instead of tail-gating outside a stadium where they will be sports
spectators, Arsenikans picnic beside the sports field where their pick-up
teams or their league will play the sports, nude of course, or on the beach
where they will surf-fish, wind-surf, wave-board, sail, go surfing, or play
beach volleyball or ultimate Frisbee ashore. There won't be a golf course
in the country, however, until one is installed on the new island under
constructiontoo much land required for too few players, and there is the
stigma of elitism, which is frowned upon in egalitarian Arsenikos. Even the
new course will graze livestock on the rough areas in rotation, and it will
be free to the public.

 But the law allows no private automobiles in Arsenikos. Public
transportation is excellent and free, mostly on raised monorails, and
everyone walks and bicycles relentlessly. Segways were legalized several
years ago and they have become very popular means of transport. The
mobility-challenged can get a permit for an electric scooter or golf
cart. There is also no airstrip on any of the islands, and none is
planned. The last leg of travel to and from Arsenikos must be the 300-mile
trip from the nearest island, by daily ferry, which mostly carries cargo,
since only the diplomatic corps and new immigrants travel as
passengers. Ferries also connect the three islands with several departures
daily from each. But there is also new inter-island transport by under-sea
train tunnel (the "trunnel") as well. It began as access to the tidal
electric production plants, but morphed to civilian service as well.

 There are no firearms of any kind, and no hard drugs. Tobacco is not
banned, but none is grown, and the cost and social stigma of a cigarette is
such, that less than half of one percent of men there ever smoke, and those
only rarely. Even a lowly Tampa Jewel cigar would cost over $200.

 The principality manages all housing construction, using private
contractors. The wealthy can have a larger home built for them if they
choose, on tracts or units set aside for that purpose, not in exclusive
neighborhoods, but mingled among other dwellings, but few do. The norm is
for housing to fit one's need. A single man usually gets one bedroom and
one or one-and-a-half bathrooms. A pair get two of each, and so on. Why no
spare bedrooms? Because one rarely has out of town guests! Besides, the
living spaces and porches are great for sleeping. Also, small guest houses
and meeting centers are convenient and comfortable. All beds are
king-size. If a friend sleeps over, he generally sleeps with his
host. Every home has spacious living and dining areas, mostly very
open-space, as Arsenikans are frequent entertainers. Most have very
serviceable kitchens. Those who are determined to spend on finery can have
more pretentious decorations and appointments in their homes (most have
original art works), but space is at a premium.

 Despite the scarcity of land, residences are designed to include more
outdoor space than indoor, due to the climate. Even the high-rises
incorporate outdoor living. Many dwellings at ground level have no
closeable walls at all. And almost all Arsenikans are inveterate gardeners,
producing a portion of their own fruits and vegetables, and an amazing
variety of flowers, from which they create stunning floral arrangements for
their homes, offices, and public buildings. All of the eggs and most of the
poultryeven a big portion of the milk and cheese, especially from goatscome
from suburban gardens. The desire to preserve suburban neighborhoods was an
important motivation for the decision to create another island to support a
larger population of men, rather than over-crowding the present acreage.

 With no cars, no need for heat, and cooling managed by sea breezes,
Arsenikos uses no petroleum whatsoever. Its relatively modest electricity
needs are provided entirely by sun, wind, and ocean tide generation, using
the most advanced methods in the world. There is no such thing as an
exposed power line. Arsenikans have by far the smallest "carbon footprint"
of any developed or developing nation on earth.

 It does rain a lot, usually at mid-day. But the naked Arsenikans don't use
raingear. Instead, when they arrive at their destination, they receive a
warm towel for drying. A good Arsenikan host personally towel dries his
guests as he greets them, then offering them a cool fruit beverage of
welcome.

 Gay sex is also a natural part of life. It is permissible anytime,
anywhere. The only restrictions concern sex with minor boys (under
sixteen), of whom there are typically about seven to eight hundred in all
among the population (only one grade school on each island); or sex by
violence or force, both of which are harshly punished.

 "Like how?" asked Hank. "Death penalty?" He came from Texas, where that
was all too common.

 "Maybe harsher," answered Erik. "A convicted rapist or child molester goes
over the barrel.' That means he is strapped down over a large barrel
contraption, ass out, on the public square, for 24 hours, receiving only an
hourly sip of water. Any man who wants to, fucks his ass. This is a rare
event, mind you. Most of the day, there would be a short line of men
waiting their turn at their civic duty, so it's non-stop ass-raping for the
full day and night, and not gentle. Afterward, he's taken to the
hospitalbut about 5% die of their injuries. The remainder return to the
population, but they do not reoffend."

 On the subject of crime, it is very low in Arsenikos, but the smallest of
the three islands, Patroclus, contains a small penal colony, for violent
criminals and sociopaths. Theft is dealt with by carefully supervised
restitution and compensation. But everyone has what he needs and little
more, so there is not much benefit to stealing. There is no prostitution to
speak of, because sex is free, but if anyone wanted to pay, it would not be
illegal to do so. There is also no pornography; a walk through any park
would offer one open views of couples copulating, fellating one another,
and masturbating. The same for a visit in any barand all dancing is nude
dancing. A lot of bad behavior, such as bringing or producing harmful,
illicit drugs, is punishable quickly and simply, by permanent
deportation. Everyone who arrives retains his passport of origin in case of
such a need. Drugs like Oxycontin, Methodone, and cocaine derivatives
simply do not exist in Arsenikos. Marijuana, on the other hand, is legal,
domestically produced, safe, and readily available. Alcohols are mostly
imported, but local fruit wines are common, and a winery on another island
only 500 miles away produces a supply of a good product specifically for
the Arsenikan market. A handful of new distilleries and breweries are
producing a very serviceable product. But that raises the specter of
alcoholism, for which treatment is readily available. Refusal to accept it
can result in deportation, or transfer to the supervised living of
Patroclus. There are no street bums in Arsenkos.

 Businesses are very entrepreneurial, and lightly taxed. Many are quietly
international in nature, relying on electronic communications for their
livelihood. Financial services, computer technologies, medical research,
and high-tech development are key employers. But there is only one hotel on
two of the islands, and Patroclus is the only island with any real tourist
facilities, with its pristine beaches and tropical forestsfor the enjoyment
of the Arsenikans themselves, not for visitors.

 The third of the three islands, Hephaestion, is dedicated primarily to
food production, and is home to those engaged in that industry. Its farms
provide all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and grains in abundance and
variety. The national fishing industry is located there also, and it
provides a protein base for a very wholesome national diet.

 "Are there jobs available?" Sam wanted to know.

 "All of you will find very good jobs within your specific interests,
within the week. You can also get training to switch to a different line of
work easily. Plenty in construction, including helping to build the new
island. Also, for example, Hank, you won't be a cowboy in Arsenikos, unless
you opt to build your own small herd on Hephaestionthat can be pretty
lucrative, but can take a while. But there is a lot of agricultural work,
if that's what you like, or other outdoor work in other areas, like
construction and landscaping. Or you could try something else altogether,
if you like. We have all of you lined up for several interviews in a few
days, if you're interested. We also have career counseling available for
those who want to rethink their vocations now. You'll get a free
consultation upon arrival, based on the testing you just had here."

 "How do we live until we get a paycheck? We got nuthin'! Or at least I
do," Trent offered.

 "Some men have cash resources to transfer with them, and that is
great. Frankly, that's part of what keeps our balance of payments in the
black. I think you are aware, we are known for our banking system, to the
extent we are known at all, so there is no lack of investment options. We
do import a lot, and don't export much, in the way of goodsmostly services
only. Many, if not most, of our immigrants are like you, Trent, just
starting out. But you have an excellent education, and your prospects are
quite bright in Arsenikos. Same for the rest of you, there is
income-producing, meaningful work for you to do. So the principality will
advance you the equivalent of ten to twenty thousand dollars in Arsenikan
sovereigns. You'll sign a note for them tomorrow morning, before we depart,
and you'll repay them over five to ten years, your choice. It will be quite
affordable, I promise. There's no interest. I recommend the larger figure,
because that will be your bankroll to get you started, with an apartment,
furnishings and appliances, a new computer, new phone, bicycle, that sort
of thing. Even a dog. Though their food is expensive, since much of it is
imported, almost every Arsenikan has a dog, or at least a cat or bird.

 "We have no actual currency in Arsenikos--there is no printed or coined
money. It's all electronic. You'll get your monetary assets in the form of
a small stick, sort of like a memory stick, only slimmer, and you'll use it
to purchase anything from a bag of chips to a house. There is no point in
anyone stealing it. Only one of your fingerprints will validate any
transaction from it. Most of us wear ours around our neck or wrist, on in
an arm band."

 Finance major Trent was impressed. 'The future is now, here,' he thought
approvingly. But a dog! Trent had never owned one since he was a kid. "What
breeds do they have there?"

 Erik smiled. "Anything you could want. My Maltese upstairs is pregnant
now."

 Trent almost laughed. Erik did not look like the Maltese type. For
himself, he had in mind something bit bigger and more athletic. "Like a
Doberman?"

 "Yeah, sure. But we don't crop ears and tails in Arsenikos. Law, by public
plebiscite, 1988. Also, no leather allowed, by law, pubic plebiscite
2003. We never used much, anyway. We have very serviceable plastic and
fabric substitutes."

 "Tell us about the Prince, and about the government," said Eddie.

 "Well, we were established by Europeans, you know, and they have been big
on kingship. But our prince is different. His office is not hereditary,
that would be difficulthe is elected for a single term of ten years. The
first was elected in '55, so the "5" years are always election
years. Basically, he is to be the most admired and trusted man in the
principality. You know, think Star Warsthe young, beautiful women elected
to rule for a short term? He does not campaign. Instead, others who support
him publicize his qualities. Smart, energetic, dedicated to the people,
wise." Erik smiled. "Far as I can tell, it also helps to be incredibly
handsome, as all six so far have been. Prince Wilhelm is all of those
things, now in the eighth year of his reign. He's thirty-seven now. I think
you'll like himhe's a very nice, smart, sensible guy. Government is simple,
really. Wilhelm is head of state. There is a single-chamber
Assembly. Either they pass a bill, and Wilhelm can sign or veto it, or he
recommends a bill, and they have to ratify it, so it can go either
direction. The Assembly can over-ride his veto with a three-quarters
vote. We do have some "interest organizations," but men run for Assembly as
individuals, not as party nominees. But both the Prince and the Assembly
can also punt to the people. Every quarter, we have a national referendum,
called the Plebiscite, and the tougher decisions tend to go there, "to the
Plebs," as we say. The people can demand it, if they petition. There is a
small court system, mostly part-timers, and a three-man supreme court. We
don't have, or need, many lawyers, not actually practicing, anyway, partly
because we own very little property and we have simple estates. We have no
military, only the Guardia, a civil guard. Biggest portion of that is Coast
Guard, to protect our sovereignty, keep people out that can't get in
lawfully, and battle any smuggling, especially drugs. Government focuses on
the public well-being, which is equally directed to public safety and
justice issues, plus quality of life. We have a very high level of personal
satisfaction here in Arsenikos. Men are happy and live fulfilling lives."

 "So you know this Prince Wilhelm?" asked Sam.

 "Oh, sure. We were friends before his election, and I was one of his
supporters all along. But he didn't get me this jobthere isn't that kind of
influence-peddling in Arsenikos. I went into the foreign service out of an
ideal for public service, as well as the opportunity to travel a bit now
and then. You'll meet Wilhelm, too, everyone does at some point. At least
at your swearing in as citizens, after one year, if not earlier." He
laughed. "We're not that big a population, you know."

 The group settled back to watch more of the multi-media presentations on
life in Arsenikos, and most remaining questions were answered. In addition,
they saw dazzling scenes of both bustling city life (very strange, with
streets occupied by men only, all nude, on bicycles or Segways, on foot, or
on sleek public monorail trams gliding silently by, often walking dogsall
poster boys for fitness) and idyllic tropical forests, gorgeous, white,
black, or pink-sand beaches, and immaculate suburban neighborhoods. The
occasional teen or even rarer pre-teen youth really stood out! The most
anyone seemed to wear was sandals, cap, and sunglasses.

 "Where do the poor people live?" asked Sam. Trent thought Sam was starting
to get a bit suspicious, justifiably, since the presentation looked so
serene.

 "Arsenikos really does not have, and would not tolerate having, poor
people, not true poverty. If you prefer to live very simply, this is the
place to do it, and many do, but they are not like the poor of other
countries. There is no hunger, or untreated sickness. There is a job for
everyone. There is no minimum' wage. Every man earns a living wage. If
anyone refuses to work, but is not mentally ill, and seems intent on living
off of other men's largesse, we try to persuade him, or if that fails, we
deport him. Don't worrythat never actually happens. The threat of it keeps
people self-supporting! We have plenty of off-time: a 30-hour work week, a
month of paid holiday annually, a quarter of paid leave every 5 years, and
full retirement at age 55, though some men like to keep working after that,
and just about everyone does volunteer work. Now, if a man is mentally ill,
we have the best treatment in the world, but we don't just throw him out
and say, Good luck.' We have supervised living, which requires that men
take the meds they need to be fully functional. Then, they can have jobs
and rewarding lives like anyone else. Same after release from the penal
colony. But men judged to be sociopathic are not released into the general
population, even after treatment there. We don't use prisons as punishment,
but as centers for rehabilitation. If a man cannot be rehabilitated, then
he cannot be released. Our scientists are working very hard now on genetic
research into that phenomenon, and we expect treatment to be available soon
for that, too."

 "Are you married?" Eddie suddenly blurted out. Surely, this enlightened
place must have gay marriage, they all thought.

 Erik laughed out loud. "It took you guys long enough to come to that! Most
groups, that's my first or second question! We don't have marriage of any
kind in Arsenikos. No one "owns" anyone else, in any way. We do have
"coupling." A guy can couple with one other man, or several can couple with
one another. That is a contractual living arrangement, and it is always
renegotiable. If you must know, I am coupled with five other men, one of
whom, Michael, is employed here with me. He rotates back home next month,
so he'll be on his own here for a bit. I'll be rejoining my other
mates. There's Julian, who is an accountant; Yves, who is a clinical
psychiatrist; Walter (he said Valter'), who is a veterinarian; and
then...Wilhelm."

 "The prince?" gasped Sam.

 "Er, yes. I joined that coupling not very long before his election. So I
guess you could say I know him pretty well. I look forward to being back
home in a couple of days."

 "Do you live in a palace then?" Trent asked.

 "Well, yeah, but we're not talking Versailles, or Buckingham here, though
the "hanging gardens" are pretty special, and it's more of a penthouse than
a palace. Top floors of Government Place, which is essentially an
artificial mountain consisting of offices, meeting rooms, and
residences. It's a nice place, and it has extra public rooms for civic use,
but it's only for Wilhelm's term, like the White House. After that, we all
move on to our own unit, at our own expense, like before, but we can have
space in the government building--and someone else takes the helm of
state. He retains the title Prince,' though, for life, as an honorary, and
may do some diplomatic travel on behalf of the Principality, as the
reigning Prince never leaves the Islands.

 "Nowlet's talk about your issues. More questions? Anyone having cold feet?
I won't try to persuade you to go. Our high satisfaction rate is partly due
to the fact that we have chosen this step. We know it is not for
everybody. If you have strong ties here, I urge you to consider carefully."

 Now Russ spoke, "O. K., so you go, and after awhile, you really want to
see your family again, just for a visit. Is there no way that can happen?"

 "Yes, Russ, there is. We don't keep a prison. It's a lot of trouble,
though, and it requires a special travel permit, plus the same rigorous
testing procedure upon your return. When I'm here in New York, I never go
out unattended. That takes getting used to. We go to dinner, theater, and
museums, maybe a park or the nude beach, in groups, with supervision. That
way, we're covered. But if I went to Iceland, say, on my own, I'd have no
guarantee of getting back. It would be a gamble, granted a small one if I
was sure I could behave myself. My dad lives here, and my mother is no
longer living-- I have no real connections there, so for me it is not a big
concern. But I recognize that for most people, it is."

 Through all of this, Erik was very professional, taking care to pay equal
attention to every man present. All of the men were staring at him as if he
were from another planet. But Trent thought he caught Erik's eyes on him
two or three times, when he and others were looking another way.

 Wishful thinking there, baby. This guy is not in my league," he chided
himself.

 There being no more questions, and none of the men expressing any doubts
about their decision, Erik brought the session to a close.

 "Let's go up and check you into rooms for the night. You can clean up if
you like. The gym is open on the 29th floor. May be crowded about now,
though. At seven, dinner is served on the top floor. It will be more
typical Arsenikan fare, because it's our regular grub. Good food, thoughwe
tend to have high standards for food prep. For example, we have no frozen
dinner type stuff at all in our markets. You can buy food prepared fresh,
but not factory-processed stuff. And we have lots of restaurants, every
ethnicity you can imagine, adapting their cuisine to the ingredients
locally available. It works out nicely."

 The group entered an elevator, and Erik pressed five.

 "If you meet someone you'd like to spend time with, feel free. By which I
mean, yes, you can fuck or be fucked by anyone who'll agree to it,
including each other. You're Arsenikans now, dudes."

 Floors five through twelve were hotel floors, where persons in transit
were lodged, he explained. Thirteen through twenty-five were apartment
units, for the staff. Two through four were offices, and twenty-six through
twenty-nine were meeting and activity rooms.

 There were five rooms on each of the guest floors, each with ensuite bath
and a king-size bed. He showed Sam, Hank, Joey, Eddie, and Russ into the
five rooms, saying, "See you at dinner. Seven."

 To Trent, he said, "Up one more level for you, Bud." They took the stairs.

 Outside the room, Erik stopped at the door, hesitating.

 "Trent, I hope you don't mind my asking, but have you ever had sex with a
man before?"

 "You could tell?

 "I don't know, something told me. I sense that sometimes."

 "Erik, no, I haven't. Not that I haven't been tempted. It was too
important to me to get to this place to risk it all on one fumble in the
dark, you know. Now, I admit, I hardly know how to begin."

 "Maybe the reason I'm sensitive about that is, I was that way, too. When I
went into the Arsenikan embassy in Oslo--that's the only one we have in
Scandinavia-- I was a total naïfthough, of course, I was much younger
than you. Look, I won't press myself on youbut if you'd like to take care
of that situation tonight, I'd be more than happy, no honored, to
participate. Seems to me you ought to know if you like it or not before you
go flying off around the globe to a new life of it."

 Trent looked directly into Erik's warm, brown eyes. "Would you really do
that for me? That would be so coolI mean, I think it would be just
perfect. And you're right, I need to know if I like it."

 Erik leaned in then, and kissed Trent on the lips, lingeringly. Trent's
eyes closed for a second. Then Erik pulled back and said, "See you at
dinner, then I'll come up after, O.K.?"

 Trent nodded. "Yeah," was all he could muster after that kiss.

 Erik smiled and turned to the stairwell.

 "But Erik," Trent called after him, and Erik looked back, "I know I'm
going to like it."

 "I think you will, too."

* * * * * * *



 Trent didn't let on about his changing relationship with Erik, and Erik
played it cool, too, at dinner. Erik let the men know that they were to be
in the lobby at 9:45 in the morning, but other than that, they were on
their own with the run of the building. Several of the men seemed to be
jostling for attention, especially with Erik, but Eddie, Sam, and Trent
were getting their share of coy looks and come-ons, too. Finally, Trent
whispered to Eddie, "Tomorrow, O. K.? You and mebut not tonight. II have
something planned." Eddie smiled knowingly. "Sure," he murmured. He began a
flirtation then, with Sam, and after dinner, the two departed together.

 Trent made a break for it then, too, to avoid further pairing up. That
likely left the three remaining to play together, and he hoped they'd be
fine with that. Trent went into his bathroom to freshen up the relevant
body parts. He'd showered before dinner, and he had noticed that the toilet
was an integral part of the shower space, and that a wand thing on a hose
in the shower stall. Upon consideration, he had decided it must be an ass
washer, something he had never seen before, but which seemed very clever to
have in these circumstances. He figured out how to turn on and adjust the
water to the thing, and gingerly, he inserted the business end of the wand
into his rectum. He found it quite pleasant, but very soon he felt very
full down there. He moved over to the hopper and eliminated the discolored
water. On the third rinse, all seemed clear, and he felt clean and virginal
for his expected lover.

 He didn't have long to wait. There was a knock at the door, and he opened
it to find a cutely shy-smiling, very sexy and handsome, naked Erik at his
door, holding a handful of flowers in one hand and a bottle of champagne
and two glasses in the other.

 "You shouldn't have," Trent said, grinning, as he took the flowers from
his date. "I mean--you REALLY shouldn't have. My, they look so much like
the ones in the dining hall."

 "They are a lot like those. Short notice, sorry."

 "But as for the champagne, that yes, you should have. Thanks. For
both. I've been pretty strictly on cheap beer all through college."

 Erik entered, giving Trent a much friendlier kiss than his earlier one, in
passing with the champagne.

 "Now, I'm supposed to towel dry you, right?"

 "Only if I came through the rain. If it's dusty out, you'd wash and dry my
feet. That can be really nice. But since I just came down in the elevator,
how about a really sweet kiss."

 Erik set the wine and glasses on a small table (there was no dresser,
since no one here would have clothing with him), and he turned to place his
hands on Trent's hip-bones.

 "Believe it or not, at this, too, I'm very new. Kissed a few girls in high
school, that's about it. No one seemed to come back for seconds."

 "Then you didn't do it right."

 Erik moved his hands around to the small of Trent's back and pulled the
younger man to him. His mouth found Trent's, which parted on its own, and
his tongue explored inside. Trent's tongue responded, and the kiss
developed from there. Erik pulled back.

     "Either you're a liar, or just a natural. Probably the second."

     "I think I'm inspired."

     "Let's hope so. Champagne?"

     Trent nodded. This also was far from his life experience. He'd tasted
a bit of cheap stuff back in school, but wasn't impressed.

     Erik poured two half-glasses and offered one to Trent. They clinked,
and Erik said, "To Arsenikos, and new life," and they sipped together.

     "Damn. That is good stuff!"

     "It's Arsenikan, believe it or not. Like I said downstairs, we now
have three wineries on Hephaestion, and two distilleries and three
breweries on Ganymede."

     "Where do you grow the pot?" Trent had only tried weed a few times,
and never had money, time, or guts to get into the illicit stuff, but he
was curious.

 Erik laughed. "There's some commercial weed grown, sold in the shops, but
really, almost all of us grow our own. I don't keep any here,
though. U. S. government is damn persnickety. Is that a word, persnickety?
I heard someone say that."

 Trent nodded. "Sort of. Can I buy seeds in the market, too?"

 "I'll give you some."

 "Does that mean that we'll see one another after we get there?"

 Silently, Erik filled Trent's glass again, and his own. "Sit down," he
said, gently.

 Here we go,' thought Trent. The let-down.' Not unreasonable, really, and
quite to be expected.

 But Erik was looking at him seriously, and kindly.

 "Trent, I need to tell you something about me. You guys already got it out
of me that I'm part of a six-man coupling, which includes Prince
Wilhelm. But I didn't actually tell it accurately, it just slipped out that
way, and I let it slide, because...because it's still so hard for me.

 "You see, we are six men who love one another, live together, when we can,
and sleep together often, though we all have sex with others as well, it's
the Arsenikan way. But within that, we are three couples, too, which we
call primaries.' Michael and Yves, Julian and Wilhelm, and...and me and
Walter."

 Yep, here we go,' thought Trent.

 "But the fact is, Walter died six months ago." Erik said that in a
halting, pained way.

 "Man! I'm shocked, I'm so sorry!"

 "It's fine, Trent, don't let it be a bother for you, because I am dealing
with the loss, and I'm making great progress, really, adapting to the shock
and grief. I saw you roll your eyes when I mentioned Lulu, my Maltesewell,
she was Walter's. Now mine. I'm particularly emotional tonight because I go
home tomorrow, to the rest of my mates, except Michael, and it will be our
first time together in a while. I'm so happy about that, but also sad, you
see, because Walter will not be there to meet me, for the first time in
four years we were together.

 "Now, I know what you're going to sayforget the sex tonight, it isn't
really necessary. Well, for me, it is, unless you no longer want it, which
would be understandable. But let me tell you the rest.

 "Arsenikos is such a healthy place, we hardly expect the death of a young
person. Walter was thirty. He loved scuba-diving, especially around the
barrier reef off Hephaestion. I do, too, we used to dive together
often. Well, six months ago, the unthinkable happened. He was bitten, just
at the surface, by a poisonous sea-snake. They almost never do that, it is
inexplicable. But if you are bitten, there is nothing to be done about
it. You die instantly, and he did, in my arms.

 "So now, it is six months later. My mates have been wonderful to me. They
have held me and made love to me night and day. Michael especially, here in
New York, has been my mainstay. I love him dearly. But I am now the odd man
out in our coupling. They have primaries, and I don't. I have made the
decision that I am ready to date again, to consider the possibility of
finding another primary relationship. I just haven't started yet.

 "So now, you think, he's lost his mind, he thinks he's in love with me on
first sight.' Don't worry, no, I don't. But I do think you are amazingly
handsome and sexy, and you also seem to be a very nice fellow. And you
DON'T remind me of Walter! This is significant, I think. I'm attracted to
you, in more than a sexual way, but I'm not trying to recreate what I had
before.

 "I hope we will see one another in Arsenikos, because I hope you will
spend some time with me and let us get to know one another. But don't
worry, I will never pressure you or, what do they call itstalk' you, or
anything like that. And either of us can call it off at any time, clear?
Now, about tonight...tonight is just tonight, that's all. I just didn't
think I could be with you having secrets."

 "Shall we have another glass?" Trent asked.

 Erik poured, emptying the bottle, and both men drank, quietly. Finally,
Trent spoke.

 "I'd still like to have sex with you. And I'm glad you told me. I feel
closer to you for it."

 "Good. That's enough for tonight, then."

 "No, there's more. I want to see you again, back home, too. Though it
could be awfully hard when you go back to the U. S., in... when?"

 "Six months. Three there, then six at home."

 "O. K. That could be hard. I bet it was for Walter, too."

 "For both of us. That's why the multiple couplings can be so helpful."

 "One step at a time?"

 "One step at a time. Beginning with this." And Erik set down his empty
glass on the nightstand and leaned into Trent, pushing him down onto the
mattress to kiss him more deeply than ever.

 Trent's cock sprang into erection just from the kiss and the feel of
Erik's body next to his. Erik lavished attention on him, lips, hands, and
full-body contact. Yet he managed to prevent his younger protégé from
erupting in ejaculate any of the dozen times he came perilously close. Erik
proved a master at cock-sucking with restraintjust enough to let his
partner back off from impending release.

 "You'll enjoy the main event more, if you have not cum yet," he counseled,
when Trent panted and moaned pleadingly.

 But Erik responded by descending to Trent's taint and anus for his oral
attentions. Not having experienced such intimate favors before, Trent was
overcome with astonished ecstasy. He could scarcely comprehend that anyone
would do that to any asshole, much less his own. He became putty in Erik's
capable hands and mouth, compliant to Erik's every touch.

 Later, when Erik lay atop Trent's prone form and poked around with his
large, thick, rock-rigid dick, Trent savored every poke, and hardly
flinched when the head of the big organ pushed into his anus an inch. It
stretched the sphincter, but it felt good and oh so right. After a thrust
or two, the cock slid in another inch, then a third. Trent sighed. This was
not so bad, he thought, just a modicum of pain at the entrance. Erik's
swollen cock-head pressed against Erik's prostate, and the young man
thought he would blast off like a rocket. 'Did I scream out loud?' he
wondered, 'or was that only in my head?' The cock pressed again, and a
dollop of cream shot from Erik's cock. That time, no question about it, he
did give a little scream.

 "You OK?"

 "Oh, yeah. Don't stop."

 Erik did not stop. He fucked his partner every which way, for over half an
hour. Trent was on the brink of emotional meltdown more than half of that
time, begging for deeper, harder, more.

 "Don't want to wear you out, Love, not on the first time," Erik finally
murmured. He drove his cock hard into Trent's colon seven or eight times,
and then froze in place as his semen shot into the newbie's rectal
cavity. He shuddered. Trent shuddered. Both held their pose as they
struggled to come down from the orgasmic high, genital and anal. Erik
collapsed sweatily atop Trent's frame, panting.

 "So. That's man-sex," he declared.

 "Then I like it. No, I love it," Trent responded. "Again."

 Erik laughed. "Not so fast, Kiddo. Maybe tomorrow. I just shot half my
insides into you."

 "Your precious bodily fluids'," laughed Erik.

 "You got it. But turn about is fair, don't you think?"

 "Cool. Sure! You take as well as you give, then?"

 "Oh, I like giving a bit more. But I'm a believer in fair play, and as
long as I'm popping cherry, I figure I ought to model reciprocity, and also
give you some practice at the top role, too. You've never fucked a guy,
right?"

 "I've never fucked anything except my fist."

 "Well, we should remedy that. Let me have some of your precious bodily
fluids, too."

 Trent responded with a wolfish smile, leaning into his new lover with a
deep, intimate kiss.

 "Frightening how quick you catch on," Erik muttered as he broke the
suction.

 "I'm highly motivated. I've thought about this every waking moment since I
was eleven."

 "Odd. Me, too, even though it seems half that time, since sixteen anyway,
I've been doing it."

 Trent nuzzled at Erik's ears, throat, and neck.

 "Shut up so I can kiss you."

 "Quit kissing and fuck, unless you can do both at the same time."

 Trent could. He pinned his partner and slid his cock up the chute, as Erik
pulled his feet up and spread his thighs.

 "Damn. Oh, God damn. This is so good. I'm glad I didn't know how good this
is, I'd never have waited."

 "Now, who's babbling?"

 "If you're so damn promiscuous, how do you stay so tight?"

 "I didn't say I was promiscuous, I just fuck a lot, with a lot of men. And
I stay tight with butt clenches."

 Erik clenched suddenly, and Trent almost shot his load right then.

 "Oh, man. You could strangle it with that."

 "Or just massage, my choice."

 He began to grip Trent's rigid dick lightly on each withdrawal, so that he
was gently milking the cock that fucked him. That sent the young stud over
the roof. He panted quickly, groaned, and slammed his thick pole as hard
and as deep as he could into Erik's asshole. He cried out in ecstasy as he
felt the ejaculate gush in spurts from his rigid hose. Erik gave his own
dick three or four quick pulls, rotating in a twist on the big head of it,
and it fired off a half-dozen squirts of goo as well, spattering his lower
abdomen.

 "I want to taste," Trent said. He leaned down and licked up the cum
delightedly, savoring it. "My first jizz, except my own. They're a lot
alike, but yours is better."

 "We'll both get better still, back home, on an Arsenkan diet. All that
fruit and organic grain produces excellent cum. A little fishy, perhaps,
but you learn to appreciate that flavor. Extra nutrients," he chuckled.

 A few minutes later, in the shower, Trent asked, "Can you stay?"

 Erik's head shook. "Sorry. I have packing, mostly Lulu's stuff, since I
have virtually nothing to take back, except lots of dog food and a few
other hard-to-get items people ask me for. Also, I need to give Michael a
tender fare-well. He has another month here without me. We don't leave here
until 10:00, very humane, don't you think? But I won't come up to
breakfast, so I'll see all of you down in the lobby at quarter til."

 Trent felt very emotional all of a sudden. This was, well, just sex, but
it was damn good sex, and to him, it felt like lovemaking, something more
than sex. Does every guy fall in love with the man who takes his cherry he
wondered?

 He thanked Erik haltingly, but sincerely, at the door, "For being so
considerate, and making it so special for me. I'll never forget that. It
was perfect."

 Erik smiled and kissed him. "For me, too," he said.

To be continued