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Cover art is by :iconBuckSaber: - well meoww! :P

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Hello, and welcome to the Hockey Hunk!

A new week, a new two chapters to come, so...without further ado...do read, comment, vote and fave - all the feedback is appreciated, and will help others to find these stories to enjoy as well!

Cheers!

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I was a bit surprised that it only took us something like twenty-five minutes in the Apple store before we walked out, Doctor Faye with a new phone in a plastic bag, me with an iStore gift card in my pocket, because while in the shop I realized I owed Mason ten bucks' worth, and it'd be a nice surprise for him, anyway, and a bit of a thanks for being there for me during the weekend, when I wasn't at my best. That'd be cool, see him maybe try to refuse the gift. It'd be something he'd do.

We emerged from the store to the...concourse...why did my brain try to fit that word...perhaps it was the right one...yes...the big corridor with shops on either side, and lots of furs walking past...my teacher still fussing with his bag, my paws in my pockets, fingers rubbing against the gift card.

"Oh thank you so much for your help again, Haakon, I'm so glad you had the time!" the lion spoke with a big smile now, "You made it so much easier for me."

"No problem, Doctor," I flicked an ear. "I was just chilling out here, anyway."

He chuckled again, and patted a paw against my shoulder, big and warm, I noticed, even if it was brief.

"Still very generous of you," he said, "I must repay you somehow. Could I offer you a light lunch or a coffee, perhaps? I must do something nice for you now that you helped me so much!"

I gave him a look now, seeing that smile and those eyes that seemed...kinda sad, somehow, even if he was smiling, and I wasn't sure why it was...whether he was being lonely or, just wanting to keep talking with me, he could be really chatty, or just maybe wanting the company, or...I don't know, I mean, he was gay and...not that it meant anything, he was pretty cool as far as teachers went in the university, so it wasn't...uncool to be hanging out with him, even if it was just to help him shop. Eating and talking though, a bit different, I guess...he might try to do small talk or the like...would we have something in common to talk about besides the university?

"What's a light lunch?" I asked.

"Well..." he rubbed his chin, "something like a chicken burger with nice fries...soda...some salad, of course..."

I'd expected something with...red wine and stuff, but maybe he was keeping me in mind with that offer, maybe.

"Sounds cool," I said, because really, what student would say no to a free meal?

"Excellent!" he smiled. "I saw this quite clean-looking place on my way in, I think it could be good, though I didn't visit before!"

"Sure," I said.

So, I followed him, along the hall until we entered a place called The Step Forward Zone, which seemed more like a café or a small restaurant rather than a fast food joint, which would probably mean better food, though longer time sitting and waiting and chit-chatting with Doctor Faye...

"This looks quite nice!" he said when we entered and he found a table, a bit to the side, for two.

"Sure!" I said.

We settle down, bags put under the table, including my backpack, and he settled there, too, looking around curiously for a moment before his eyes landed on the table top.

"Oh...they've got the menu down here," he tapped the glass to identify the menu, which seemed to be like I thought, not so many options, but it looked good, and not too pricey. At least I didn't have to feel guilty about letting him pay, then.

"Yeah," I said.

"Just pick anything you like, and it's one me," he was smiling again, big time, "I do see a chicken burger here...organic, even!"

"Maybe a cheeseburger for me, then," I ran my fingers over the list, the lights causing a bit of a glimmer on top of it, I had to squint a little to read it properly. "They seem to make them double..."

"So you are hungry then!" he laughed. "How appropriate that we came here then!"

"Well I went to the gym in the morning..."I said, "about time to eat, I guess."

"How nice! You do look like you take a very good care of yourself!"

"At least trying to," I shrugged, "just gym and stuff."

"And a lot of dancing," he smirked.

"And that," I said, "though it's a bit new for me..."

"But I'm so glad you took the challenge," the lion sat back and adopted his favorite talky pose, "that's why I wanted to the musical, so that everyone who wants to can take part, and not just let that...dramatic...drama department get all the fun!"

He was quite dramatic, though...

"Good day! May I take your orders?"

The waitress came from behind me, a rat girl with a tablet for taking notes, I noticed, looking up to her. She was pretty cute, too...nice fur tone...

"My friend here may order at first," Doctor Faye waved his paw at me.

I turned to look at the waitress and smiled a bit.

"I'd like to have a double cheeseburger with fries and middle-sized Coca Cola."

"Would you be taking large, medium or small fries?"

"Large, please," I said.

"Excellent! And what would it be for you, sir?" she turned to look at Faye.

"Your salad of the day, please, and I'd like this garlic bread appetizer, and then your organic chicken burger, with...let's call them medium fries then, yes, and a small Sprite, please, aaand..." he tapped the tabletop, "and...I think I'll order something for dessert afterwards, if that's alright...make up my mind then!"

"Of course, mister!" the waitress said. "I'll be back with your food soon!"

"Thank you, darling!" the lion purred.

Well that was a bit much...and he was smiling still, and flicking his ears...

"You must have dessert, too!" he said, looking at me then, "You didn't order any!"

"It's cool," I said, "I don't want to - "

"Don't say you're watching your figure...I do insist...five dollars eaten by you is much preferable to some other way to spend that money..."

Not sure what he meant by that, really, but if he really wanted me to just go all out o n it...I better not upset my professor...

"Guess I'll look something up when we're eating," I said, "they seem to make a few things."

"I might just go for the ice cream." the lion said, "I do like ice cream."

"Who doesn't?" I smiled.

"Is it the same one in your country, too?" he asked.

"Sure," I said.

"How nice!" he said.

Then it went like I thought it would, and we just sat there quietly, waiting for the food, and not saying anything. He had his paws folded on the table and looked quite happy just sitting and looking around a bit, fur-watching, maybe. I just tried to sit there calmly and...I was looking forward to the food. I did feel a bit hungry after lots of reps and a shower at the gym, and then I drove my bike here to the mall and ran into Faye...guess this was one way to spend the afternoon.

"So, do you work, Haakon? I don't think I ever asked you!" he asked me, suddenly, saying my name in a bit of a funny way I didn't really feel like trying to correct, either...felt a bit impolite, and didn't matter so much.

"I don't," I said, "I'm not allowed either, because I'm here on a student visa."

"Ohhhhhh right!" he snapped his fingers loudly. "I apologize, I did not think about that, I should know about these things, I've had my dealings with Her Majesty's Border Agency when I was working and living in the United Kingdom!"

"It's alright," I said.

"I must forget you're from abroad, sometimes, your English is so impeccable!" Doctor Faye replied.

I smiled a little. It was a compliment, after all, coming from someone who really knew a lot about English and stuff.

"Thanks, Doctor," I said.

"Do call me Faye, all my friends do," he spoke then, looking me in the eyes, "no reason for this to be formal at all."

So...last name terms were friendly terms for Doctor Faye...there probably was no arguing with that with him...he didn't seem like a fur who did arguments well.

"Alright, Faye."

"But don't make me call you by your last name, because I still haven't figured out how to pronounce that, I'm afraid!" he chuckled breathily.

I smiled a little. Mason had spent a lot of time trying to learn it...especially that one time when he was kinda drunk and insisted I'd teach him...I repeated it over and over again while he giggled and got tongue-tied and...

"_Kjerulf,"_I made sure to say it extra quickly.

"There!" he groaned, "that's what I'm talking about!"

"Sorry."

"Oh, don't be!" he waved his paws like he did, "having young furs from all over the world surely does enrich our lives here in Kirk!"

"Wow, thanks," I said.

Then I realized why he'd looked different and sad before...it had to do with his clothes. He wasn't wearing the usual funny beret, those that came in different colors and sometimes were swapped even during the day. No, he was dressed up kinda boringly today, just some black pants and a collared shirt that was plain white...not even off-white...strange. Strange in that it wasn't...strange like usual.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for you," he spoke, then, "I never had the chance during my undergraduate studies, but since I became a doctorate student and went to work in London...it was a whole new world!"

"Is Europe really that different?" I wondered.

"Have you seen a lot of Europe?" he asked, sounding extra curious.

"I've been to Sweden and Germany and Denmark and Thailand," I replied. "Mostly school and tourist trips, though. Not really the same as...well, like this, isn't it? Moving to another country and staying there."

"Quite so!" he smiled. "So much to learn, even if you thought you knew them from books and the television and the movies or the like...isn't that so?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Lots of stuff here is different...but not everything, I guess. I mean, there's...malls and stuff."

"The scourge of western civilization!" he threw his paws into the air.

Ehhhh...

"But quite nice for shopping for new phones, of course," he replied in a calmer voice.

"That's pretty cool, yeah," I said.

"And I am ever so grateful that you helped me, Haakon," the lion said, "I knew you'd know your way around gadgets!"

"Well it was just a phone," I said.

"Oh, but still!" he said. "You made it a much more pleasant experience, considering...well..."

How he really looked sad, and like he didn't really want to speak more...but...he rubbed his chin, and then he did...

"...considering the circumstances of why I needed a new phone..."

"Didn't you say that was broken?" I questioned.

"It was..." he pressed his paws together, looking thoughtful, "indeed it was...though not by my own negligence."

"So what happened?"

It took a moment before he said anything else.

"Could you promise that this won't be the topic of gossip on campus, should I tell you?"

"Sure," I said, "Of course."

"Well, then..." he took a deep breath, "my phone was slapped from my paws by some teenaged delinquents who saw it prudent to...teach a...fucking faggot a lesson."

He might've lowered his voice down to say it, and he just kinda hissed it out, but that didn't make it lose any of its shocking value. I'd never heard him speak such things before, he always seemed very proper...and all...

"You...they...beat you up?" I asked in a similar whisper, because I didn't just want to yell it out it in the middle of a restaurant.

"They tried, but I ducked," he said, sounding not funny at all.

"That's terrible..." I said.

So I guess that was why he had toned down his...everything, besides the paw movements, maybe...having been attacked...somehow...

"So you weren't hurt?" I asked, looking him for signs of bruises or something.

"Only my pride, for most part, "he said, "A torn sleeve and a broken phone are very little in comparison to torn ligaments and a broken jawbone, I would say."

"Yeah...I'm really sorry to hear that."

"Nobody ever got better by just being sorry, and I am not sorry for myself," he said, "I refuse to be."

Now he sounded a bit more like the usual Doctor Faye...just a little...

The smell of garlic signaled the arrival of food, put in front of us on plates, which was nicer than plastic trays at a McDonald's, I thought, and I did get my own hamburger and fries right away, too. Faye's only got his salad and stuff for now, yet.

"I'll bring your drinks right away," the waitress told us again, "have a nice meal!"

We gave her our thanks and picked up forks and knives.

"This does look nice!" the lion was staring at a kind of a...roll - ? - on his plate, covered in cheese and surrounded by greens and stuff, and smelling strongly of garlic. "And so does your burger!"

"Thank you again, Faye," I said, "I gotta pay you back somehow some day..."

"Hah, I'm afraid the university cafeteria doesn't offer anything quite like this..." he replied, "unless you want to ask me out for lunch..."

I looked at him, and he noticed I was looking, and he smiled, showing his teeth.

"Oh, just kidding," he waved his paw with the fork in it, "I'm sure you have better company than me...it's summer, after all!"

Well...Mason was going to get out of work and we were supposed to head to the pool...but that was still two hours away...

"This is still pretty cool," I said, "It was fun to check out all the new phones and computers."

"You did look like you enjoyed yourself!"

"Yeah."

"Hmmhmmh...this really is nice..." he made loud munching sounds chewing, and I decided I might as well get a good bite out of my burger, too. It was really nice, too.

"I presume they make hamburgers in Norway, too, judging how you're downing that one!" Faye commented.

"Hah, yeah," I smiled, my muzzle full of cheese and mustard.

"You've got a little bit here..." a paper napkin was suddenly thrust onto the corner of my muzzle by him, over the small table, and it felt ticklish, so surprising on my cheek.

"Uhhh...thanks..."I said quickly, not really sure how to react to this sudden touching and all that, especially coming from...an older gay guy who was also my university teacher and stuff. Well, not that much older...not "like my dad" older but...I dunno, a bit like Rory, the guy Mason worked with, and who was dating Victor from hockey...

"No problem," he put the napkin away, "all clean now!"

I smacked my lips. It still tingled a little.

"Hmmm...this cheese is just fantastic..."

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Thank you for reading my story!

I hope you had a fun time, and I look forward to seeing your comments! All votes, faves and watches are appreciated for they help others to find these stories to enjoy and read as well!

See you on Friday!