Magic is as Magic Does

This is a short work of erotic fiction containing furry, or anthropomorphic, characters, which are animals that either demonstrate human intelligence or walk on two legs, for the purposes of these tales. It is a thriving and growing fandom in which creators are prevalent in art and writing especially. These stories have been public for some time, but I am slowly uploading my back catalogue of stories currently.

Please note that this story contains crossdressing, but no transgender content.

*****

Magic is as Magic Does

The package was innocuous, a simple, square cube of brown paper, yielding to the touch. In the living room of the tidy, immaculate flat, it rested on a wooden coffee table, which was low to the ground with a half-full glass of water beside it, placed upon a circular, cork coaster. Studying the parcel carefully, the brown furred okapi, Liedt, shook his head, utterly perplexed. A package arriving in the post would not have been a strange occurrence normally, but he had just moved home and had not ordered anything to be delivered this new address. Moreover, only a couple of family members and friends even knew this address and the postal marks on the paper clearly showed that it had been sent from overseas.

So where had it come from? And who had sent it?

Liedt shook his head and sat down heavily on the sofa, the cushions moulding comfortably to the shape of his body. The package was addressed to him, so surely there was no point in delaying the opening of it? He shrugged and flipped open a small pen knife (he would normally take this knife to the stables where he kept his Oldenburg mare, but it had migrated into the pocket of his jeans for some reason, as small items were apt to do), slicing open the top side of the parcel in one clean stroke.

Whatever it was, it was well packed with two layers of bubble wrap and, unusually, a few plastic bags, which looked as if they had come from a supermarket. How peculiar. In one of the bags, there was a receipt and Liedt retrieved it before delving further into the wrapping, scanning over the foreign address with some confusion. The only detail that he could retrieve was that the receipt had come from the United Kingdom, but he already knew that from the post mark. Huffing in mild annoyance, he grasped the contents and yanked them smoothly out of the paper, a black and red piece of material falling on to his knees, black straps falling loose. It was a...brassiere?

He had to concede, with an admiring look, that it was very well made. The base fabric was crimson and accentuated with delicate, black lace layered over it and depicting an intricate pattern. It was also trimmed with a flirty, lace ruffle along the upper edge, the black straps unobtrusive from its main features, which suited it nicely. The okapi blushed faintly, imagining seeing another, lady okapi wearing it, her breasts filling the cradling cups and swelling gently above the lace. But he did not have a girlfriend or any kind of partner at the moment, so where had it come from? And, more curiously, why had someone sent it to him?

This just gets stranger and stranger, he thought, dropping the bra on the coffee table. Now what am I going to do with it?

Glancing at his watch, the okapi sighed deeply: time had run away from him. Late afternoon sunlight graced the wide windows of the fourth-storey flat, the armchair strategically placed so that one could look out across the city, at least until larger blocks of flats obstructed one's view. Pacing over, Liedt leaned on the windowsill to watch the world go by, his spot a circle of stillness in a hectic time of day. The lazy, late afternoon sunlight caught the windows and reflected off them, making the city look as if it was caught by an internal fire, the busy, bustling ants of the burning anthill racing about their daily lives. Maybe there was a lover running to meet his girlfriend for dinner. Or a harried employee dashing to make the last delivery of the day for a busy company, already late. There could be recently divorced femfur, just waiting to find the right person, window shopping as she plods wearily back to her ground floor flat, unaware that her soul mate is walking in the opposite direction. The beauty was, to him watching them from above, they would never know the stories created for them in the tangled lives they led.

I should try it on... The okapi thought dreamily, resting his chin on the palm of his paw as he looked out.

Wait...what? He jerked his muzzle up, wincing at the sharp pain this brought to his neck, objecting to the uncouth movement. What a ludicrous idea - where the hell had that come from? Why was he thinking that? Rubbing his forearm nervously, he stepped away from the window and paced over the wooden floor to busy himself in the kitchen, thinking that he would have to throw the bra away as soon as possible as it had no use to him and he was thinking such silly thoughts.

I mean, he thought with a mental giggle, his mood lifting quickly. I'd be asking for trouble if I brought a friendly lady back here for a chat. Even my friends... If I don't dispose of it, it will only cause suspicions, incorrect assumptions and teasing. It is much better to get rid of it quickly, even if its appearance will remain a mystery...

There was a plastic container of marinara sauce, saved from the day before, tucked in a recess of the fridge, and Liedt selected it after some consideration, deciding that it would be better not to waste it when it could be used and enjoyed. In the cupboard over the kitchen units, there was plenty of dried spaghetti and herbs, which would serve very nicely with the delicious sauce. Twitching his ears and contriving not to think, the okapi's motions were quick and methodical in preparing his dinner, actions better memorised by the flesh than the mind.

But the thoughts could not be deterred. Like a curling tendril of grey smoke, they drew his mind towards more dangerous waters, breath coming with difficulty as his chest tightened. Breathing in short, shallow breaths, the okapi leaned heavily on the smooth kitchen counter, his half-prepared meal forgotten. His eyes widened in concern and he licked anxiously at his lips, casting a fleeting look through the open door where a red flash of the bra caught his eye like a beacon: he had to try it on.

Without genuinely being aware of his actions, Liedt stumbled and dragged his loose shirt over his head; if he had been in his right mind, he would have not dropped it carelessly upon the floor, but his feet moved away as if controlled by invisible marionette cords. He walked back into the living room and touched a finger to the bra, which lay on the mess of torn wrapping paper like a crown upon a plinth.

Oh...what harm can it do? Liedt reassured himself, though a guilty rise coloured his cheeks red beneath the dark brown fur.

Raising the bra cautiously, he slipped his arms through the straps and pulled it up against his chest, imagining that the soft cups were closing about feminine breasts. Startling himself, he reached behind his back and deftly fastened the catch, rolling his shoulders to let the garment move snugly into place so that it did not pinch any fur or skin uncomfortably. The fit was perfect, as if it had been made especially for him.

Movement, of which he was in control of, seemed to have become easier and Liedt went to the bedroom, closing the door so that he could see exactly just how the garment looked in the full length mirror on the rear of the door. Flushing excitedly, he found that it looked just as good as it felt, although the neat cups were sadly bare, he had to concede, albeit sadly. He did not quite understand why a warm glow was spreading through his body, like from happiness and a deep sense that this was right, Liedt murred softly to himself, angling back and for in front of the mirror to admire the full effect of the delicate garment. Why had he not done this before? It was amazing!

What other clothes did he have? What if he tried on other feminine clothes? There was that outfit he had been holding on to for a friend, zipped up carefully within a clothes bag in the back of a wardrobe. His mare friend from overseas had sent him the money to order a custom, silk dress for her - white with black, corset style lacing up each side - which she was going to collect upon her next visit. In the same clothes bag, dangling from the hangar, he knew was an extra gift from the designer...undergarments that had been sent as a 'thank you' for the truly exquisite order. He had only had a peek at the dress before...but if he had tried the bra on already, it would not hurt to try on something a little more... His friend would not mind, he was sure.

It only took a second for him to dart to the wardrobe and snatch the dress out of the bag, a smaller rectangle of tissue paper dropping to the floor at his heels. Laying the dress almost with reverence upon the bed, he traced his fingertips over the silky fabric, admiring how the folds shimmered prettily beneath his light caress. It had a high neck and no sleeves, just slender slivers of silk that served to hold it over the shoulders, cut to be flattering and form-fitting. Turning back, Liedt collected the little package that had fallen to the side and opened it, smiling widely as a pair of black and red panties slipped out, lacy and designed in a style like the bra that he wore. They appeared as if they would match the bra perfectly: what a happy accident!

Huh? This cannot be right... Liedt smoothed the tissue paper flat, ear splaying slightly in confusion. There was not only the pair of panties encased in the fine wrapping, but two pads that he recognised as being something that would be slipped into a bra... They were a lot like breast enhancers, but these seemed to be more like replacements, or very full enhancers, if so. Looking down at his chest, Liedt slipped them into the bra without thinking, admiring how they filled out the brassiere without protruding over the top and creating a smooth curve which would not be obtrusive beneath clothing... Unconsciously, his eyes went to the dress and remaining undergarments.

I'm still not thinking straight. Liedt shook his head vigorously, half-stepping away from the bed. It was absurd - he would never do anything like this normally. He must be ill; he decided with a decisive nod, yes, that must be it. He would go back to his dinner and then rest for a while; perhaps then he would feel more like himself.

But his paws jerked to the dress and, before he even knew what was happening, he was stripped from the waist down, jeans in a crumpled pile on the floor. Although he had not thought that his blush could become any deeper, heat radiated from his muzzle as he stepped into the lacy undergarments, drawing them up smoothly to his hips and shivering at the sensation of the fabric brushing against his skin. He tried to stop himself from reaching for the dress, but it slipped over his head and his arms into the correct places with the greatest of ease, settling against his body and looking truly wonderful over the now padded bra.

The zip at the back of the garment foiled him briefly and he nearly caught hold of his actions once more, struggling to not follow the puppeteer's will, whoever that was. Besides, he told himself desperately as his fingers fumbled over the zip and tugged blindly at it. The dress did not even belong to him - he was keeping it safe for a friend! But, against his will, his fingertips snagged the zipper and slid it upwards, sealing the deal. Sighing deeply, he gave an uncertain swish of his tail and glanced towards the mirror, gaze sweeping over his far more feminine reflection. He did not think that he looked bad at all, although that was a very biased opinion.

What if I go out like this? He thought daringly, despite a part of him screaming that he should never have opened the package in the first place. He had come this far with it, had he not? May as well do the whole thing if he was going to dress as a female...a very lovely female, he added mentally, a little smugly. The dress certainly enhanced his lithe shape with what he might have considered an elegant edge with the white dress hugging his form, the corset lacings making him wonder fleetingly if that might be something to consider too, at a later date, to add that desirable, feminine curve...

Oh, to hell with it, he snorted boldly, grabbing a standard, black coat from the wardrobe and slipping into it. I'll only go out for a little while and nobody will recognise me like this, especially in a new city. It will all be great, so stop your worrying.

It was a rash, hasty decision, but he knew exactly the place to go, somewhere friendly to all furs from all walks of life, so he should not be called out on his mode of dress in a negative manner. It was called The Twin Tails, so named because of the owners were, as the name suggested, twin horses; the two stallions had owned the pub since they had been of age and Liedt had heard many good reviews. It was a place which he had planned to try out in due course anyway and a trickle of expectation made his ears prick eagerly as he remembered the excellent reviews of both food and drink in that particularly pub. As if to agree with this, his stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him of his forsaken dinner - he could eat once he arrived.

Who knew what could happen there or who he would meet?

*

The patrons of the bar were packed in more tightly than sardines in a tin, bodies rubbing against one another whether one liked it or not. With his slim figure and the lower light - he supposed that the owners kept it like that during the evenings for ambiance - Liedt hoped that he could pass for a lady okapi, to avoid awkwardness at this stage. It would be a cheeky delight to reveal his true identity after flirting with a friendly lady for a while, something that he fervently hoped would go down well. He slid on to a stool at the bar, which was miraculously vacant considering the heaving crowd, and considered what his next move would be, what he could do. As the hour was still early, some food was still being served and the sizzle of cooking meat made Liedt wrinkle his muzzle and sneeze conspicuously into a napkin.

"Allergies?" A dappled grey mare on his right giggled. "I get them all the time, sweetie, happens this time of year."

She was quite pretty with a short mane cropped so that it stood up vertically from her crest - a local fashion - wearing a fitted, pink top and skinny jeans, which accentuated her slim legs. Liedt nodded his head, thinking it the more polite response and smiled a little, gesturing towards her.

"I've not been here before - is it always this busy?" He asked casually.

She shook her head, drumming her fingers distractedly on the bar top, craning her neck as if looking for something or someone. She did not seem very interested in conversation; she did not even care to give Liedt her name, which he found rather rude. Just then, the waiter slipped behind the bar and skated a hot plate of food in front of the grey mare, who thanked him profusely, licking her lips.

"Is that a hamburger?" Liedt asked distastefully, tail flicking in protest beneath the chair.

"Yeah!" The mare laughed, taking a large bite with obvious relish, eyes rolling back slightly in their sockets. "I just can't get enough of them!" She continued with her mouth full.

"I can see. Excuse me," the okapi said as politely as possible, gagging as the stench of meat wafted in his direction. How vile.

"No, don't go!" She protested, grabbing his arm. "I need a gal to chat with here, just stay here!"

"A 'gal'?" He questioned, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he realised her mistake. "You know, thank you, but I really should be going. Have a good evening."

Chuckling to himself, the okapi jumped off the bar stool and made good his escape, disappearing into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared. The smile upon his muzzle spread and spread until it could only be described as cheesy, grinning from ear to ear. Far from being recognised or mocked, he had been entirely mistaken for the lady he dressed as! Admittedly, there had been a hint of whisky on her breath, so perhaps she had not been completely sober, but how could one not see the amusing side of that encounter?

"Something got you in a good mood then?"

Liedt turned too quickly and almost bumped into the questioner, his eyes widening slightly in surprise; he was almost nose to nose with a giraffe lady, a couple of inches taller than him due to her partially elongated, elegant neck. Dressed casually in a red beaded top, reminiscent of a mutated, African, style, and a floor-length black skirt, she gave the initial impression that she was in the pub for a relaxed evening out. She had a short mane of brunette hair running down her mottled brown neck and her tufted tail flicked back and forth, slipped through a convenient slot in the back of her skirt, which appeared to be designed for comfort. She smiled and rested her paw in the small of the okapi's back, gently guiding him away from the crowd and to a round table in a corner of the bar. Curious to see how this encounter would progress, Liedt allowed her to direct him as she would, sitting down carefully on one of the hidden seats in the cosy corner. The giraffe settled herself opposite him and rubbed her arm, as if suddenly embarrassed.

"I hope you don't think me presumptuous," she chuckled nervously, pushing her short mane back from her neck. "Thought you might like a place to sit and chat for a bit, as it is quite busy here tonight."

"No, of course not," Liedt answered lightly, relaxing back and gesturing at the bar. "Anything for a seat in here. You look lovely, by the way."

"Thanks! I was never one for the usual club-wear," she said brightly, tapping her fingers upon the tabletop. "I'm Hannah," she added, offering her paw for him to shake.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Liedt," he shook her paw and smiled, meeting her sharp, blue eyes with genuine warmth. "What brings you here tonight?"

"Ah, there's a soccer game on, the girls and the lads wanted to go see it," Hannah shrugged. "I'm not much of a fan, so I opted out tonight. Would rather sit down for a quiet drink than cheer for some random team, though I didn't reckon it would be so busy here, as they don't show the games."

Liedt had indeed noticed the lack of a TV in the room, which was unusual for any bar or pub that liked to cash in on the sports trade. Thinking this over, he swallowed, realising how thirsty he was too.

"Would you like a drink," he offered, half-rising from the seat.

Nodding, she ducked her head a little shyly and asked him for a beer, which Liedt thought was unusual but refreshing, considering the assortment of cocktails that he was sure were available; after all, the bar was said to cater for everyone, so their selection was unlikely to be limited. Deciding to try the same as what she requested, Liedt ordered and paid for two of the bitter beverages, returning to the table with some difficult through the crowd, which was more difficult than he had anticipated with two full pint glasses. Still, he succeeded in making his way back to the table with minimal spillage and slid Hannah's drink over to her, grimacing in apology when some slopped out of the glass.

"Thanks," she murmured. "May I...I mean if you don't mind...can I ask..."

Liedt's heart sank and he looked down, unsure of how to respond. The question was going to come sooner or later in conversation like this, right? It was a shame, he thought, to lose a new friend as soon as to make one. Though maybe she would see it as a bizarre eccentricity? It was a one off incident, was it not? Gulping, the okapi flushed to realise that he was not "drawn" by anything to continue the night out; whatever force had taken hold of his mind earlier was no longer in play. He was in complete control of his own actions and...he was enjoying how he was dressed, exceptionally so.