Down and Out in Tuscany

Story by Billy Leigh on SoFurry

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I've been struggling with writer's block recently and not been at all productive.

I wrote this story as a kind of warm-up to get back into a creative mindset and thought I'd share it here.

It's a simple M/M story, about how looks can be deceptive.


The city would have looked beautiful, had it not been for the rain.

The cast-iron streetlamps fought against the gloom to illuminate the damp cobble stones whilst the regal spires stood against the grey clouds.

Will cursed as he trudged up the hill.

Heavy rain blew into his face, matting his fringe. His guitar was strapped across his back, weighing him down.

The bus he had been waiting for had never turned up and none of his colleagues had offered him a ride home. He cursed at his own stubborn politeness and wished he had simply asked for a lift home. Instead, he had subjected himself to the miserable weather.

The road seemed devoid of any convenient cabs to hail, but Will knew that he wasn't carrying enough money for a ride home.

Will was a skinny fox. His fur was a luscious orange and tinged with white around his nose and at the tip of his tail. However, the rain had flattened his pelt. His white t-shirt had turned transparent and his tight jeans clung unpleasantly to his legs.

Will persevered and continued pushing up the hill. A car drove by, throwing up a tidal wave of muddy water over him.

He yelled, cursed and wished death on the driver, but the car had already passed by, oblivious to Will's anger.

Will felt defeated.

A year ago, he had been perfectly happy. He had a steady job and a handsome mate, a lion by the name of Robert. It felt good believing he had a future and someone to share it with.

However, one evening he had seen his mate walking by paw in paw with another fox. They had kissed each other before disappearing into a club. Will had stopped and stared, absolutely horrified by what he had just seen. He had wanted to run over and demand to know what was going on, but the shock had overwhelmed him.

Will recognised Robert's new lover as a work colleague of his. He spent the next day stalking them through social media and followed the other fox to wherever he met his boyfriend.

A string of violent fantasies passed through Will's mind, but he resisted. Instead, he took a deep breath and called Robert to demand what was going on.

A series of phone calls and text messages later, the relationship was ended and Will was suddenly left with a hole in his life.

He suddenly realised how fickle Robert had been during their relationship, refusing to meet his family and cancelling dates at the last minute. However, Will still missed him despite the seething anger he felt.

Will's job proved dead end. There was no chance of promotion and he was stuck on the same wage no matter how hard he worked.

Robert had often joked about having a "slut phase" in his teenage years. Will felt he had missed out on this and decided to vent his frustration by having a phase of his own, partly to get back at his ex.

However, the encounters he had often consisted of talking to other guys online which went nowhere, or pathetic attempts at one night stands which ended with Will making an excuse and leaving due to nerves.

He soon realised that his ex-boyfriend simply wouldn't care if he succeeded at being promiscuous.

As soon as Will had saved enough money, he had left Britain to go travelling. He needed to get away and clear his head. He had always wanted to visit the Tuscany region of Italy, having studied the history of art at university and developed a fascination with the Renaissance period.

Will decided that he would get away, work as a tour guide in the region and have fun in the process.

He defiantly quit his job, said good bye to his boss and booked a one-way ticket to Italy.

For the first time in months, Will had felt a giddy sense of excitement as he sat in the departure gate with his suitcase and guitar by his side. His tail wagged as he handed his ticket over to the stewardess and took to his seat.

Will's first few weeks in the city were fun. The sun was out and he visited all the sights. He wondered idly along the banks of the Arno River and spent several happy hours admiring the artwork in the Uffizi Gallery.

He submitted job applications to work as a tour guide, but heard nothing back.

Will's naive excitement soon turned to isolation and frustration.

No matter how many times he emphasised on his resume that he had studied the Renaissance at university, no one seemed interested.

Will began working part-time as an English teacher whilst supplementing his income by busking with his guitar in a busy restaurant on the edge of town. On a good day, he could get decent tips, but most of the time, he was treated as part of the background.

He soon came to the conclusion that loneliness was a crowded room.

Virtually no planning had gone into Will's trip and he soon ended up with very little money. The summer ended and a cold winter set in, which seemed to have stalked him from England.

Will rented a small apartment above a café in the city centre.

The pay from both of his jobs only just covered the rent and he began to eat less and less. He took to stealing dinner rolls and tips from the restaurant in order to feed himself.

Part of his mind knew he had to swallow his pride and return home, but the other half stubbornly told him to stick it out. He was sure that Robert and his friends would laugh at his defeat.

Will was brought back into the present as a gust of wind blew rain into his face.

Another car appeared and Will prepared to dodge the spray of water. However, to his surprise, the car slowed and the driver's window was wound down "Need a ride?" A voice called in an English accent. Will frowned and examined the car and driver.

The car was a black Audi A8, smart yet discreet. The driver was a grey wolf dressed in a white shirt. Sam guessed that he was in his late twenties. The wolf looked athletic, with a thin torso yet muscular looking arms and legs. There didn't seem to be any malicious intent in his amber eyes and his muzzle broke into a friendly smile. It had also been a while since Will had heard another English accent.

Despite the seemingly friendly appearance, Will hesitated. He recalled advice his mother had always given him as a kit "Never get into a stranger's car" "Oh, if you'd rather not" the wolf shouted above the rain "it's just that I see you walking this way when I drive home from work". Will hesitated, and then nodded. He heaved his guitar into the back and climbed into the passenger seat. "I'm Rufus" the Wolf introduced himself. Will shook his paw and reclined back as Rufus drove off. He felt conscious that his wet clothes were sticking to the leather seat. He draped his tail over his lap, feeling the damp from his bushy fur starting to seep into his jeans.

Will glanced at his appearance in the window and saw that his fur looked puffed out and matted. He sighed, trust him to look awful in the company of a handsome stranger. "What brings you to Tuscany?" Rufus asked "Travelling" Will replied "but it's nice to hear another English accent" "Heh, us expats have to stick together sometimes. So where do you live?" "Oh, in the centre of the city, above a café" Will replied and gave Rufus the directions "What do you play on guitar?" Rufus asked casually. Will chatted about the songs he played. It felt refreshing to finally have someone to talk to.

They pulled up outside Will's apartment block. "Thanks for the lift home" Will said, moving to open the door "Would you like to join me for dinner?" Rufus asked "I was originally going with a work colleague who can't make it, but I've still got a reservation for the table" "Oh, I don't have any money" Will sighed "It doesn't matter. I'll pay, you provide the company" Rufus replied. Will hesitated, but nodded. He found the offer strange, but he was glad to have company for the first time in what felt like forever.

Rufus pulled on a navy blue jacket and they hurried into the building.

Will felt embarrassed about the unkempt state of the apartment. The floor hadn't been vacuumed in some time and the air was heavy with the scent of fox. He dumped his guitar on his bed and dried himself with a towel. He stood naked in front of the wardrobe and sighed as he pulled out his crumpled suit.

In the end, he put on a pair of smarter jeans with the shirt and jacket he normally wore with his suit before spraying himself with deodorant. "I couldn't find anything smarter" Will claimed as he walked back into the living room. "Nonsense, you look fine" Rufus replied. Will noticed that the wolf's tail was wagging.

They drove into town and parked outside an unassuming looking restaurant "Trust me, it gets better inside" Rufus explained as he led Will down a flight of stairs. Will marvelled as they walked into the dining area. The ceiling was vaulted and soft light came from candles lining the walls. "The cannelloni is very good" Rufus said, as they were led to a table, "and do you like wine?" Will explained that he did and Rufus ordered from the waiter in fluent Italian.

Will surveyed the wolf closer. There was something charming yet mysterious about the way he presented himself. His suit was pristine, yet he didn't wear a tie. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone, exposing a furry but chiselled looking chest. "Very Bond-esque" Will commented.

Will chatted politely away, telling Rufus about travelling abroad. The wolf nodded as he listened and sipped his wine. Will revealed his love for artwork and Rufus' eyes lit up. They spent the next ten minutes discussing their favourite artists and what there was to see in the Uffizi Gallery.

Will then listened as Rufus explained that he ran a small travel company, but the wolf was interrupted by the arrival of the food. Will could feel himself salivating, but he tried to eat as gracefully as he could despite the fact he was ravenous.

The cannelloni was rich and flavoursome without being too heavy and went well with the wine. Will smiled appreciatively as he finished.

Before Will could say no, Rufus ordered dessert and coffee for them both. They dessert was tiramisu, which Will had had several times from the supermarket, but authentically, it tasted wonderful.

Despite Will's protests, Rufus insisted on paying for the meal. "Thanks for dinner" Sam said as the pair made their way out to the car. "My pleasure, it's nice to have company for a change" Rufus sighed wistfully as they climbed back into the car.

The rain had stopped and the clouds had parted. A bright full moon was shining down on the city, lighting up the puddles "You're welcome to come back to mine, if you'd like to?" Rufus asked. Will hesitated, but nodded. "Sure" he replied.

The drove beyond the outskirts of the city and out into open country. The moon shone down like a spotlight, illuminating the rolling fields.

Eventually, Rufus pulled off the main road and drove down a gravel track that led to a smart looking, classical style villa.

Will was amazed as they stepped into the front hall. The place was decorated with reproductions of Renaissance paintings and statues. "Help yourself to another drink. There's an open bottle of wine on the kitchen counter" Rufus called as he removed his jacket and made his way upstairs.

Will wondered around the house. The living room was larger than his whole apartment. The floor was marble and partly covered by a woven rug. One wall was taken up by a large flat screen television while the rest of the space was covered with paintings. There was also an antique dresser on one side where Rufus had left his wallet.

A window at the far end gave a panoramic view over a swimming pool and the valley beyond. The moon shone down, illuminating the hills and the lights of the city could be seen in the distance.

Intriguingly, there was a copy of Edvard Mule's "The Scream" on the wall. Will frowned. He vaguely recalled a news story stating that the painting had been stolen from a private collection.

Rufus emerged from the kitchen holding another bottle of wine. "Oh, that's just a copy. I'm thinking of selling it, to be honest" Rufus explained as he pulled out the cork "Thanks for inviting me over, I appreciate all of this" Will said, taking a glass from Rufus. Despite the rich meal, he could feel the alcohol making its way straight to his brain "It's no problem. You did seem pretty lonely" Rufus explained "what made you come out here all by yourself?" "I wanted a fresh start. I found out my ex-boyfriend was cheating on me" Will began before launching into a rant about Robert. "Oh boy, that's not nice at all" Rufus sighed once Will had finished.

The pair sat in silence for a moment, sipping their wine. Will splayed his ears, feeling he had said too much. Rufus set his glass down and smiled at Will "You're welcome to stay the night" Rufus said. His amber eyes gazed intensely at Will. Will smiled and nodded.

Rufus shuffled over on the sofa and placed a paw on Will's leg. Will instinctively flinched, but relaxed as Rufus moved his paw up closer "Shall we go upstairs" the wolf whispered into Will's ear.

The pair stumbled up the stairs, locked in a tipsy embrace as they kissed.

Rufus took Will by the paw and led him into the bedroom.

Like the rest of the house, the bedroom was spacious and lined with paintings, but this time Will had no desire to examine it.

Rufus lay Will down on the bed. He gently undid the buttons on Will's shirt and began kissing the fox's soft chest. Will squirmed and moaned with contentment.

The scent of Rufus' fur combined with sweat smelling aftershave filled Will's nose. He breathed the scent in as Rufus kissed and nuzzled his neck.

Rufus traced his paw further down Will's chest and slipped a paw under his trousers. Will moaned with contentment.

Rufus grinned and slid Will's trousers and briefs off.

Will watched with anticipation as Rufus kicked his clothes off and straddled over him. He allowed Rufus to wrap his strong arms around him as their muzzles met for another kiss.

Rufus nibbled Will's neck fluff, before kissing the surface of Will's chest while pawing at Will's genitals. He then cupped and kneaded Will's balls whilst running his tongue over the fox's sheath.

Will moaned as his cock emerged from his sheath. Rufus carefully placed the tip into his mouth, licking off the pre-cum, before working his muzzle up and down. The wolf gradually quickened his motions, before slipping Will's entire cock into his muzzle.

Will squirmed and yipped as Rufus' rough tongue brushed against his shaft. He gripped the bed covers and jolted his hips forward. "Rufus, I'm gonna..." he gasped, before ejaculating into the wolf's muzzle.

Rufus swallowed what he could before gripping Will's member in his paw and allowing the fox to shoot the rest over his furry chest.

Will lay panting in the afterglow. He slowly opened his eyes to see Rufus sitting over him. The wolf's muzzle broke into a smile. "How about returning the favour?" Rufus asked. Will was about to go down on Rufus, but the wolf shook his head. "That's not quite what I had in mind" he explained with a grin.

Rufus rolled over and presented his rear to Will "Go on, I think you know what I want" Rufus teased. Will hesitated. He had not done this before. "If you'd rather not..." Rufus began, but Will grinned and buried his muzzle into the wolf's behind.

A powerful, musky scent hit Will's nostrils which made him all the more excited.

He ran his tongue over Rufus' tail hole, exploring the patch of bare pink skin where the wolf's fur ended. Rufus groaned appreciatively and raised his tail so that Will could continue.

Will lapped at Rufus' hole more intently as the wolf placed a paw behind Will's head and pressed his muzzle further in.

Will continued licking until he grew tired. Rufus collapsed onto his stomach and lay with his tongue hanging out.

Once Rufus seemed ready, the pair made their way to the bathroom where Will cleaned the stickiness off his chest.

They returned to the bedroom and climbed under the covers.

As the pair lay next to each other, thoughts were churning in the minds. Neither of them knew of their true intentions to each other, but they had made a decision not to go through with them.

Will was half-conscious. He could feel the wolf's strong arms around his body. Will knew he should return the money he had taken from Rufus' wallet. He could not steal from someone who had shown him such kindness.

In Will's desperation for company and affection, he hadn't scrutinised Rufus fully.

Had Will played more attention to Rufus' reaction following the spy remark at dinner, he would have noticed the wolf flinch slightly.

The paintings hanging on the walls were not reproductions.

Despite his dapper appearance and belonging to a species not typically associated with petty crime, Rufus liked to indulge in illegal activities to prop up his travel business, as well as for fun.

Rufus had not originally intended to ask Will to stay the night. He had wanted to use the fox for a scheme he had planned.

Rufus had swiped a spare set of keys and Will's passport from the fox's apartment. He planned to sell the passport and burglarise the apartment whilst Will was at work. Most of the paintings in his house were ones he had stolen by romancing other furs.

He had initially gone off the idea of burgling the apartment since Will had no money, but as the wolf gazed down at the sleeping fox and listened to his soft breathing, he also knew that he simply couldn't bring himself to do it.

Like Will, he led a lonely life and had longed to share a genuinely intimate moment with someone.

Rufus sighed to himself. He would replace Will's passport and keys at the next opportunity he got.

He wrapped his arms around Will, nuzzled into his neck fluff and held him as he slept. He hadn't known the fox for very long, but he had already formed an attachment to him.

Neither of them knew of their original intentions towards each other, but as they drifted to sleep, they felt glad to have found pleasurable company at last.