rpg_palace | Finally, Karl's test.

Happens long enough after Viggo's test for the bruises to have faded.

Karl took a deep breath as he waited. This was it. The last bit before getting on the books. He smiled to himself. Finally, him and Viggo. Who would have thought...?

Guy ambled down the hallway, occasionally checking the numbers on the doors to make sure he was heading in the right direction. Technically, he'd been of a Level to be testing for awhile, but it just hadn't come up all that often. But when it had shown up on his roster, he certainly hadn't minded. Turning the door handle, he walked inside, grinning at Karl as he came into view. "Afternoon, Karl. I'm Guy."

Karl looked up, smiling. "Hi? Guy is it?" He stood up, his hand held out. "Nice to meet you."

"You too. I've talked to Viggo before, but I don't think we've ever actually met before." Guy said, reaching out and shaking Karl's hand.

"Oh, you know Viggo?" Karl smiled as he thought of his love. "I'll have to tell him I met you."

"I've talked to him a few times, yeah. Tell him congratulations on making Five, by the way," Guy added.

"I will." His smile got bigger. "One of the best days of my life was when he made it."

"Well, then just think how great you're going to make his day when you do the same," Guy grinned back.

"Yeah, I hope so." Karl half laughed. "Do these tests get any easier to take?"

"Depends," Guy leaned against the wall, kicking his foot up and looking at Karl. "I've never cared much about my Level, once I hit Upper, so I'm maybe not the right one to ask. Some tests just kind of happen before you know what's going on- that's what my last one was like. I just thought it was sex, next thing I know I've jumped two Levels. And sometimes they're based on client recs, and again, they just happen. But people still get nervous."

"Sounds like how I got in Palace. Thought it was just great sex. No, it was fucking amazing, damn I'm lucky he picked me sex."

Guy cocked his head to his side and raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Feel like coughing up a name so I can commiserate or curse you for your luck?"

"Sean. The Sean."

"Christ. Don't I know it," Guy purred. "He was the one who upped me two. I'm pretty sure I can die happy being able to list as a life achievement having fucked Sean-fucking-Bean."

"It was great. Never thought it would get me here, though." Karl smiled. "Glad it did. Just need this to get on the books."

"Is this where I make some sort of really bad joke about leaping hurdles, or jumping me or something?" Guy smirked, cutting Karl the wink.

Karl looked surprised, than laughed. "Naw, I'll save you that. So, how do you work this? My last time was with Liv, so going to guess this will be different."

Guy cocked his head to the side and looked at Karl, narrowing his eyes and looking at him carefully. "I'm just trying to sort out what kind of clients you're going to get so I know what kind of test is best. Way I see it, you're going to get three main types of clients. You're going to get the ladies who want an extremely good looking man to fuck them, you're going to get men who want an extremely good looking, big guy to fuck them, and you're going to get men who want to fuck a big guy. That'll be who's interested anyway, so far as I can figure."

Karl frowned. "You know, I never really thought about thinking which kind of client to target on. Just thought you got what they sent you."

"You do, to a degree. Once you're on Upper, you've got some more flexibility, and to a degree you can pick and choose. Except for your Casual shifts 'course. I'm telling you who is going to come looking for you, not so much who you should target for. Those are the types who are going to come looking for you."

Karl nodded his head. "Okay. I got it." He sat back down on the bed. "How long usually does it take for clients to start looking for you specifically?"

"Not long. There's a publicity department, and people who are regulars are always looking for new libertines they might be interested in," Guy advised. "You'll get a few regulars who want to come back for more, rec you to people they know- that sort of thing. Yeah, I think you should fuck me."

It took Karl a second to realize what Guy's last sentence was. "You always make left turns like that?" He stood up, pulling his pants down.

"Ask around," Guy said, moving closer to Karl. "Apparently I'm difficult to follow. I think I'm just direct. You can decide for yourself. Let's play this as natural as possible, yeah? No pretending to be libertine and client- just you be Karl, and I'll be Guy. Give your instincts full rein, and go with it."

"Alright." Karl reached out for Guy, drawing him closer. He stared at his lips, licking his own. "Anything special you'd like me to do?

"At some point, your cock and my arse should become fairly familiar with each other. Apart from that, just looking for a fuck here, mate. I know I'm going to have a good time," Guy purred.

Karl laughed again. "If you insist." He looked at Guy than gave him a hard kiss, his hands dropping down to his ass. "Be easier if these were off." He grabbed at his pants.

"I'm a libertine, mate- I'm all about being easy," Guy quipped, leaning into Karl's hands.

"Good." Karl turned them around, pushing Guy onto the bed and pulling his pants off. "Easy works."

"Well, not as often as some work, but I get around a fair bit," Guy smirked, sighing in contentment as he watched his pants fly across the room. "Much better."

"Was I going too slow for you?" Karl climbed over Guy, locking his arms to stay over him.

"Not at all. Just enjoying the naked," Guy arched up, brushing up against Karl.

"Oh." Karl looked down, than leaned down to start kissing Guy's skin.

Guy arched up again, humming at the touch of Karl's lips brushing over him, drifting his arms and running his fingers along Karl's back.

Karl put one knee between Guy's legs, nudging them open to settle between them. He ground against him, now kissing his neck.

"Mmm. Like you a lot," Guy murmured, spreading his legs wide and hissing at the contact as Karl ground against him, baring his neck to give him greater access.

"I do try." Karl continued to kiss him, trying to look for the lube at the same time. He finally had to break away to grab for the basket. "Got a preference at least?"

"Mmm," Guy licked his lips, wriggling to get more comfortable. "Anything but pina colada, and we're aces."

Karl grabbed one, just making sure it wasn't pina colada before opening it. He spread some on his fingers, slowly sliding them inside Guy, preparing him before spreading the rest of it on his cock. Than he fingered him again, hitting his sweet spot.

Guy let out a soft cry his body tightening around Karl's fingers, arching up to meet each thrust of his hand, cock leaking against his stomach.

Karl bent down, licking Guy's stomach clean before kissing the tip of his cock. He moved his hands away, smiling at the sound Guy made before sliding inside him.

Cursing softly and creatively as Karl pressed inside him, Guy lifted his legs up to wrap around Karl's waist, gasping sharply as he felt the other man slip even deeper inside him.

Karl set up a steady pace, licking and kissing at Guy's skin again. "Doing alright so far?"

"Report card later- fuck me now!" Guy gasped, his fingers digging into Karl's back.

Karl gave a sharp cry at Guy's hands, than started to fuck him harder. "This more like it?"

Guy tried to snark back, his retort cut off by a moan as Karl changed angles, every stroke meeting his prostate.

"I'll take that for a yes." Karl smiled as he lay down on top of Guy, trapping his cock and rubbing against it. He also went back to licking his neck.

A shudder ran through his whole body as Karl lay down against him, his cock throbbing in between him, every breath a cry, his hips snapping up to meet each thrust, his head thrashing against the pillows.

"What do you like, Guy? What's going to make it for you? Want to impress the teacher and get a good grade." Karl pushed Guy's legs open more.

Guy pressed his head hard against the pillows as Karl opened him wider, arching his back and moaning as his head tilted back, tugging at his trapped hair.

Karl smiled, tangling his hand in Guy's hair and pulling hard. "Could I make you cum just from this?" He pulled hard again, slamming deep inside him.

His eyes flying open with a gasp at the first tug, the second one sent Guy careening over the edge, arching his back and screaming to the ceiling as he came, pumping hard and hot against their stomachs, his entire body whipcord tight, fingers digging into Karl's back.

Karl came the next instant, his release pulled from him by Guy. He fell onto him, breathing heavy. "Now. How was that?"

Guy groaned, leaning his head against Karl's hand, unable to keep from grinning. "Jesus you're a pushy bastard," he panted.

"So I've been told." Karl smiled, moving most of the way off Guy.

"Mmmm," Guy murmured, closing his eyes and running his hand over Karl's back, catching his breath.

Karl started to get up, than laid back down. He lightly ran his hand along Guy's jaw. "You alright?"

"I'm good- was hoping you'd figure out the hair thing. Not that it's remotely subtle," he smirked at himself.

Karl chuckled. "Not exactly no. But it could have been missed so glad I got it right."

"Yeah, but you picked up on it. Good pick up- keep that observant and the clients'll adore you. Yeah, you'll be a big hit in Upper," Guy said, stretching and settling in against the bed again.

"You think some day?" Karl laid down next to him, closing his eyes. "That'll be nice. And yeah, gonna try to keep watch, learn the cues."

"Uh huh. I really do, Karl. Hey Karl? Remember that conversation we just had about picking up cues?" Guy said innocently, trying to hide his grin.

'Yeah, what about-oh. OH!" Karl pushed himself up. "Really?

"There we go- knew you'd catch on!" Guy's eyes sparkled. "Congratulations, Karl- you just made Five. There's no fuckin' way I'm leaving you up at Six- be a waste."

"You...you are?" Karl's forehead wrinkled. "A waste at Six? How do you-" He smiled again. "Never mind. Five? Really?"

Guy sighed, wriggled off the bed and over to his pants, grabbing his com and keying in a quick message to Sean, copying it to Michael and hitting send. "There. Done deal," he said, flopping back down on the bed.

"Wow. Wow." Karl grabbed Guy, giving him a hard kiss. "Thank you."

Shaking his head with a laugh, Guy smiled at Karl. "You're welcome. And you earned it. Congratulations, Karl. You're a Palace Libertine."

"Palace Libertine. Fuck you don't know how long I've waited for this. Especially when I never thought I would ever."

"Karl, way you tell it, you were recruited by Sean. He saw something in you- not all that surprising you've proved him right."

"Yeah, but just..." He shrugged. "Just wondered a little."

"Everyone wonders if it's a dream I think. I came on in the General Intake, and I still remember thinking I was making it up." Guy gave Karl a kiss on the forehead.

"You did?" Karl studied him. "No, don't think you're one of ours. Think I would have remembered you."

"I've been here nearly eight years now," Guy said. "Never leaving if I have a say in it."

"You must have gotten here just before or just after I started up. And once I would have said I'd never leave. Now," Karl smiled. "Twenty years and I’m gone."

"You've got twenty?" Guy frowned, trying to recall. "Somehow I thought it was less."

"It is. But Viggo has twenty. Staying for him."

"Ah," Guy nodded, and then shrugged. "No point in planning that far ahead anyway. Play it as it goes." He looked at Karl again and sighed dramatically.

Karl frowned. "Okay, what was that for?"

"Just realized something. You two are exclusive," Guy said, sighing even louder, trying to hide a grin. "That was my only shot at you, 'less we get paired up for a client."

"Oh." Karl's frowned deepened. "I didn't realize that you'd be.....could be interested."

Guy's eyes opened wide. "Karl- do you even own a mirror?"

"Yeah. So what?"

"You're hot, okay? Ask your lover sometime. Plus, you're a good shag, and a nice guy. 'Course I'd be interested." Guy explained.

Karl shrugged. "I'm alright. Nothing like Viggo. He's the amazing one."

"Eye of the beholder, mate. Viggo's a good looking man, I'll grant you that. But so are you. You're not going to lack for clients, that's for sure." Guy leaned in and looked at Karl with a gentle smile. "Get him to practice getting you to take a compliment, yeah? Wouldn't do to have a client tell you that you're beautiful and have you do that shrugging-thing." he pointed out.

"He's the special one. I'll get some clients I know. “Karl frowned again.”Why? What do they care?"

"Because it's their opinion. And if you brush it off, you're brushing them off, you follow? And people will tell you you're beautiful."

Blushing, Karl looked down. "Viggo tells me that. So did Harry. Just thought they were saying it cause I was with them."

"I don't know them well, but that's not the reputation I've heard about Harry Sinclair. Either of them in the habit of telling you things just because you were with them?"

"I guess not. And yeah, Harry can't really lie. But sometimes he can get close."

"Well, I'm not in the habit of lying. Waste of time's far as I'm concerned. Suffice it to say, you will be called beautiful, and were you in a situation to do so, I'd shag you rotten. Now I'll just have to hope for a paired voyeur session. It worked with Eric," Guy murmured the last.

Karl wasn't sure what to say. "Thanks for the compliment. Sorry about how me and Viggo are. And…I guess I'd be up for a paired session." He nodded, his frown back somewhat.

"Don't be sorry- look, Karl, I'll tell you what I told me mate Jason, who's also in an exclusive relationship. I may not understand it, but I certainly respect it, yeah? So don't feel you have to worry about it or apologize. Gotta do what works for you, right?"

"Yeah, you do. For what it's worth, I never thought I'd be in a relationship again when I came here. But then we met again and..." He smiled "Well, just didn't have much chance."

"That does seem to be the way it works," Guy said, giving the overly dramatic sigh again. "And if you're happy, that's all that matters, right?"

"Yeah. Like you can't believe." Karl's expression changed. "We're both Five. We can go out out. Together. I can show him the city. Show him around some. I just realized that."

"Not to mention the fact that he doesn't know you've just made Five," Guy added, resting his hands behind his head.

"He's going to, soon as I get back." Karl laid back on the bed. "I don't know where I'm going to take him first."

"I'm guessing it'll be one of those lover-like things where it doesn't matter where you take him, so long as it's the two of you. That sound about right?" Guy rolled to look at Karl.

"No wait I- fuck don't remember. Where that one park? Bigger than anything with the forest?"

"Hell, mate- I hardly leave Palace, and I'm not much for the outdoors," Guy furrowed his brow. "The one on the other side of the city- few miles off from Palace?"

"Yeah, that one. Just need a direction and I'll be able to find it."

"Check down at Reception. They'll give you a bloody map if you ask," Guy grinned.

"Oh, yeah. Right." Karl blushed. "He likes the woods. Lived there for a long time. Want to show them to him."

"Right- I remember that now," Guy murmured. "Well, you're both able to go now."

"I know. Honestly, I didn't think we'd...I mean, I knew he'd make full Five. Just not really me so much.

Guy looked at Karl, wishing he could do something about the man's lack of confidence in himself. Realizing that nothing he could say would likely sink in, he grinned instead. "Well, you missed the boat then, because you're right where you belong. Remember you said that the day he made Five and passed was one of the best days of your life? Go make today one of his."

Karl smiled. "Yeah. Thanks Guy." He kissed him again. "I'm-I should take a shower. So when I see him..." His smile grew wider as he kissed him again before getting up. "Thanks again, Guy."

"You're welcome. And tell Viggo I say hi. Much, much later after you've told him," Guy smirked, waving at Karl as he headed off for the shower.