Wolf's Hunger
#23 of Roman Life
The date night has ended with good results for everyone.... Or so it seems!
Hey everyone,
here it is the new chapter, woot! Hope that you will like this one, since it opens a new day and drama
The aisles of the supermarket were nice and cold thanks to the air-conditioning, more so when they were lined with the cooler for cheese and other perishable stuff. Luca was scanning the shelves, searching for his favorite brand of passata2, when he was verbally assaulted for the thousandth time.
"Dunque1, what do you think about her?" The rottie at his side asked him while lounging against their shopping cart.
"I already told you what I think of Clara." The lupo annoyingly answered his friend, his paw extending to take the can of tomatoes, dropping it in the cart.
"But you surely didn't say everything Luca!" The other retorted, pushing the cart now that they were done with this part of the groceries.
"I did, believe me. From this one time I can say she is a lovely, nice, funny girl, and that you two are good together." He replied, absentmindedly, checking his list and deciding it was time to get some pasta from the aisle around the corner.
"Oh, you think? She is just great!" Ale exclaimed, bouncing a bit like a hyperactive pup. Well, he had been a hyperactive, grown pup recently, since the date; the lupine wasn't sure if this was caused by the prolonged side effects of a hangover or just because he was really, really happy that his best friend had met his girlfriend.
"Yeah, yeah, she is." He said and, even if he sounded not convinced since he had said the same so many times, he really meant it. They had fun with Clara, and Guido too, more so when they had been joined by Sara and her boyfriend. He sincerely hoped to see her soon... If it wasn't that, doing so, he would have to bear with an excited Rottweiler.
"Guess what? We are going to see The Amazing Spider Man this week! It's going to be awesome!" His friend shouted, and, luckily enough, there weren't people around that could have been disturbed by it.
"I'm sure it will." The wolf mumbled, grabbing some packages of pasta and seriously considering various methods to make his friend shut up for good. Any physical attempt would fail, since the black canine was built, buying him some cibo spazzatura3would work only when they were back at home. Then, the solution appeared clearly to him.
"So, care to tell me what you did Sunday afternoon?" The lupine asked, successfully stopping him in the middle of a rant about supervillains and heroes.
"Uh, cosa4? What do you mean?" Ale asked back, in a pitiful attempt to avert the subject. From the flicking of his ears, Luca knew he had found the perfect countermove.
"When I returned from my visit, you were just so mellow and relaxed, I found that .... Suspicious." He grinned, his wolfish heritage even more apparent now. The lupine knew perfectly what happened, and why he had found his roommate in such a state: taking advantage of a free house, he surely had invited Clara over and...
"_Bingo."_He victoriously thought when some faint blush appeared under the black fur of his friend; to his honor, the other managed to stop his ears to show any sign, and only someone who knew him well could have found the redness on his cheeks.
"Ehm, I just... I just had a bath! A long, relaxing bath! That's all!" The rottie hurriedly said, but it was too late, Luca had now confirmation of what really happened. Not that he needed that, he knew le sue galline5well; he didn't minded that either, after all the other could do what he wanted as long as he didn't make straight love in front of him... And the other way around.
"Oh, that explains everything!" The lupine jovially said, adding a wink that made his friend's cheek flare up like the fireworks at Ferragosto6. Since he had succeeded in his attempt of silencing him, Luca didn't inquire more but just went on with the groceries, already getting near to the bottom of the list. The rottie followed with the cart, his slouching walk and dropped ears almost making him feel pity for what he had done; almost, since the silence didn't last long.
"So, what are we going to do tonight? We need to pamper your little bro!" The muscled canine asked, regaining all of his joviality and perkiness in one second.
"At least he isn't talking about Clara." Luca thought, then answered his roommate. "Nothing fancy, no need to spoil him after all. Steaks and salad would do for Vale!"
"But it's your brother, fratè7! You rarely see him!" The other protested vehemently, in the way he always did when he playfully overreacted.
"That will do for him, after all! And shush, you aren't going to cook any way tonight." The lupine replied, taking a bottle of good extra-virgin oil. "Well, with that we are done, we can go home!"
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!" Ale cheered, pushing the cart toward the cash desk. His enthusiasm for finishing the groceries didn't last longer, crushed by the sheer line of furs waiting for their turn.
"Dammit, why there are only two desks open?" The rottie snorted, resigning to wait.
"I don't know, but there is nothing we can do." The lupo ruefully said. "We could help getting home before Vale shows up."
"Yeah, I need a shower; I sweated my balls off today at work!" The other echoed, blissfully unaware of the stinking stare from the lady otter in front of them.
"You should thank fate that the basilica is way cooler than other places. You could have been working under the sun, you know!" Luca pointed out. They were both outdoors dogs, sure, but summer wasn't the ideal season to renovate exteriors; he was really happy that the thick, ancient walls of Santa Maria in Trastevere trapped all the coolness possible. He knew some people entered the old churches only to get some refresh.
"Of course I do, but still, I need some water over my body." His friend winked, passing his paws over his muscle in a seductively way. The lupine was too tired and couldn't stop staring at such a display, as he usually did.
"Gotcha!" The rottie chuckled, happy for that slip.
"Ei, that's not fair at all!" The tall canine pouted, ears flicking a bit. The muscled dog had started to tease him and try to get him in situations like that, since he had told his coworker than he never thought of him in that way. That was infuriating!
"It's your fault; I can't help but prove that you lied! You do think about me in naughty ways." Ale retorted, to the horror of the otter in front of them, who began to stack her items quickly on the counter.
"You got me with my defenses lowered! I should not think of you... in that way!" The wolf stuttered a bit, his cheeks coloring this time around.
"It's a manly prerogative to think about your friends in that way, from time to time. The quicker you will admit it, the better," The other kept taunting him, even when it was their turn to unload the cart. He was really enjoying himself in doing that, but a question arose in the lupine's mind...
"Why are you so fixed with that? A normal, straight guy would be freaked at the idea of a gay man fantasizing about him!" He asked, immediately kicking himself when he saw the expression of the fur manning the desk.
"Uhm, that is, uhm, well, because I want to teach you a lesson!" The Rottweiler mumbled under his breath, his eyes fixed on the items he was passing to the clerk.
Kicking himself for his curiosity, the lupine persevered in his inquiry. "You didn't really answer my question, you know?"
"I, uhm, I-I pay for the groceries!" The rottie decided to ignore the question, taking his wallet and threatening the clerk with his credit card. The lupine let the issue past, there would be another place and time to further ask question. Probably it was just him being curious on that aspect, and not thinking clearly on what that would entitle.
He went to fill the plastic bags with their groceries, still pondering about that. Worst, or maybe better, scenario could be that the rottie was exploring his sexuality and discovering that he was bisexual, or that he liked butt-play. That could lead to the rottie asking him advices about dildos and, God's forbid it, strap-ons for Clara.
"That would be awfully bad". He though, shivering, putting the last cheese inside the bag and the bag itself in the cart. He wasn't sure he was mentally prepared for such thing, going shopping for... those things.
"Stai bene8? You were trembling, hope it's not fever!" Ale asked, having turned to help him with the bags after paying.
"Uh? Benissimo7! I was just thinking about something, that's all." The lupine pushed aside the matter, really not wanting to speak what kind of thoughts his mind had conjured.
"Okay, well, let's go home!" The rottie cheered him, already pushing the cart in the exit and into the parking lot. It didn't take much for them to reach the car, load their groceries in it and getting back the cart, but even after that small amount of time they were seriously sweating, the temperature outside very high.
"If you needed a shower before, think of now! You don't smell of roses" The lupo joked, taking his seat behind the driving wheel.
"Ahaha, so funny! Like you don't stink too, Luca!" The other answered back, fanning with his paw in front of his muzzle as if trying to fend off a bad stench.
"It's impossible, you should know we gays radiate perfumes as colorful as our personalities!" Luca jabbed at him while driving in the street.
"Yeah, yeah, as if!" The passenger concluded this match, which was clear ended in a draw. They didn't talk much for the remaining, short trip, getting to their street and parking in the garage. Then, there weren't any possibilities for conversation until they got inside their apartment, thanks to carrying big loads and avoiding the dreaded signoraBianchini.
"Uff, home at last!" Ale exclaimed, bags in his paws while he walked to the kitchen.
"Yeah, it was about time! Help me get everything placed, then you can go and have that shower you wanted for so long!" The other reminded him, already putting the various items in the places they belonged.
"Okay, okay, no need to nag me at all!" The black and tanned canine obeyed, opening the fridge and tossing inside all the precious food which couldn't stand the heat. "At which hour is your brother coming?"
"He is studying at a friend's place right now, so, non so9, maybe around 7?" The lupo guessed, not at all sure. They probably had another half an hour or more, but still, knowing his brother, nothing was sure at all.
"So we have time to relax a bit, yay! And finished, going to the bathroom!" His friend sad, quickly dashing for the bathroom even if half the bags were still full. The wolf wondered if the dog really needed that shower THAT badly, or if he had other needs too. Maybe he was feeling bothered and he was going to... to...
Blushing, he returned to his work, cursing mentally for being lured in that kind of thoughts. If Ale kept teasing him like that, he would need serious talking after all...
Luca finished quickly and, since his roommate was still inside, decided that he could just sit and watch TV while waiting for his turn. The hour wasn't ideal as for programs, either some German TV series or horrible programs like Pomeriggio 510, but he finally settled to watch a rerun of Xena, sure that the Warrior Princess beating the crap out of mooks was the best thing in TV at the moment.
Lucy Lawless was just screaming the trademarked shriek when Luca heard the click of a door opened; his ears turned toward the noise before the rest of the head, and his eyes found what he expected, Ale exiting the bathroom with a bundle of dirty clothes under his arm and nothing covering him except a towel.
"Had a good rinse?" He asked to him, chuckling a bit when his friend unceremoniously tossed his clothes in his room.
"Yeah, I just fucking needed that!" The rottie simply put, sitting on the couch, his fur still somewhat wet. "Wow, I love this episode!"
"You love every each and every one of them! More so if it feature some Xena and Olimpia11ship tease." The lupine jabbed at his friend, knowing all too well how geeky he could be at times.
"What can I say, it's a good show and those two look so nice together!" Ale replied, eyes fixed on the fighting going on screen.
"Yeah, yeah, say that. You are just a gay mancato12." The tall canine uttered while standing up, the episode not being worth staying all sweaty for long.
"I'm an honorary gay because I love you so much, Lu!" The other waved him away, too focused on watching to say something more. Smiling a bit, the lupo padded to the bathroom, stripping down to nothing once in the damp room but carefully folding his clothes, unlike his friend. He just liked order more than him, and luckily each one of them minded his own laundry, else he would have thrown several tantrums.
In no time he was inside the shower, water rushing on his figure and washing away any filth that was captured by his fur during the day. Surely most of that was product by his own body, but still, he was carful to use the shampoo every where and being just clean-smelling, matting the soap in each part of his body. His paws lingered a bit on his groin but, after much thinking, he came to the conclusion he could paw off quietly that night; there was no need to waste water and, after all, he could use some material...
Turning off the shower, he stepped outside to have the most light drying possible; it was too hot that day, and just having a bit of cool water on his self would help him resist until the evening and its coolness. Feeling refreshed and ready for the evening, he picked up his clothes and walked out of the room and into a conversation.
"After that, we went to get a grattacheccha ..." Ale, now wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else, was telling to the much younger and a bit shorter version of Luca that was his brother.
"The one of the Sora Maria, I suppose!" Vale guessed, tail wagging behind his shorts-clad ass. He had a nice shirt on him, a Lacoste one, as if he was going somewhere fancy, not at his brother's house. Well, he might be going somewhere after it, it was summer after all.
"Ma certo13! And look who's come out of the bathroom, finally!" The rottie greeted the showered lupo.
"Hi Vale, how long have you been here?" The elder lupine asked to his younger sibling, completely ignoring the false accusation of taking his time.
"Ten minutes or so. Why the towel? I though you went buck-naked around the house, since you are all men here!" His brother exclaimed, half jokingly, half seriously.
"Yeah, yeah. Let me put something on and dinner will be ready, steaks and salad tonight! Mind if we eat at this hour?" The lupine dismissed the question with one of his own.
"Sure, no problem! Ho una fame da lupo14, ehehehe!" The other laughed at his pun, joined by the rottie.
"Okay, give me a sec then!" Luca said while entering his room. He posed his dirty clothes on the bed, grabbed a pair of gym shorts and got out in just one minute; the other two were just moving to the kitchen, so they entered it together.
"How have you been doing, little brother?" Luca asked while taking the pan for the steaks, the meat being handed to him by Ale. The rottie proceeded to wash the salad while Vale set up the table, everyone doing his part for the dinner. The tall canine thought for a second how to cook the steaks, than decided to do them on the pan without oil, making them much healthier; he let the pan warm up a bit before putting the meat on it.
"Doing fine, studying, going out. The same as always. Where are the glasses?" His brother answered simply. "Oh, don't tell, I remembered now!"
"Eehehhe, I remember that period of our life, being so care-free apart from the exams!" The muscled dog mused, having finished with the salad.
"My, you sound like a graymuzzle Ale! Someone pass me a dish, two steaks are ready!" Luca requested, not turning when the dish was provided, just putting the prepared meat on it, then going back to cook the third and last one.
"But you are close to 30, you are graymuzzle!" Vale joked.
"Shut up kiddo, and eat your meat!" The cooking dog shushed him, the telltale sound of silverware showing him that both canines were doing just that. He turned to put the final steak on his dish once it was done, and joined the silent company of his best friend and his brother, both of them assorted in eating.
The dinner went surprisingly silent, with Valerio being uncharacteristically quiet. The lupine couldn't think of a reason why he was like that, after all it was his brother who invited himself to dinner; he just waited, for now being content to simply eat.
"He probably wants to eat first, than talk and have fun". He guessed. And he was right, since after they have ended the meal with the light salad Vale began to talk.
"Uhm, so, Luca, uhm..." The younger wolf tried to speak, nervously knotting the paper napkin he had been provided. Ale was just sitting there, nodding at the other canine as if to encourage him. That was strange, really, as if his brother was about to-
"I need to tell you something, Lu."
Translation:
1) So.
2) Tomato puree. What we usually use when we do pasta with tomato sauce ^^
3) Junk food.
4) What?
5) His chickens. Part of the saying "knowing one's chicken", meaning knowing someone close to oneself really well.
6) Public holiday which falls on the 15thof August. Allegedly, to celebrate Mary's assumption to the Heavens, but everyone forgets that.
7) Bro.
8) Are you okay?
9) I don't know.
10) Afternoon show which tries to pass as serious stuff but which mostly covers gossip topics.
11) The translator changed Gabrielle in Olimpia. Fittingly so, since that is a real ancient Greek name!
12) Missed gay. Not a true Italian expression, more a play on "maschio mancato", missed male, for tomboyish girls.
13) But of course!
14) I have the hunger of a wolf. The Italian equivalent of "Hungry as a wolf".