FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 11

Hmm... hmm... if I do this and that... yeah... Okay almost finished, I have nearly untangled all of the mess Felicia left on the computer here in the office. Several reports half assedly filled in, and stock lists to refill on ingredients were left after the short calico woman ticked in for several boxes of parfait material. Heaven's sake kitten we run a restaurant, not a café.

I choked a fake sob in my throat. You're so fucking lazy kitten, it pains me.

During a moment of mourning silence, I filled out the last pieces on a report and sent it away to its designated address. Because I was so set on sulking I almost fell out of the chair when a knock could be heard on the door to the office.

"Y-Yes?" I called out and took a deep breath to calm my nerves, the fright had nearly dislocated my heart into my throat as well. Spinning around in the swivel chair I saw Alice poke inside boobs first, muzzle following close after.

"Hiii Charming? How's the little prince's work going? Working hard?" Alice sang out the first part in such a sugar coated voice so sweet it almost gave me diabetes right then and there. In order for me to not know that she was about to ask something of me I would have to be ten feet under and spent the last six weeks dead and cold.

"Hiii there sweetie, what brings you to my throne room?" I sang back at her teasingly and spread my arms dramatically, pointing out the office as the target of my lame response.

"Oooh, you know. I was just paying my favorite Prince Charming an audience on his throne..." She mused, still half leaning into the room with a paw on the door handle.

"An audience you say? Very well my loyal subject, what goes on in my lands?" I put my hands together and brooded in the swivel chair, trying to look as regal as I'm able.

"Weeell... We have quite a few customers my lord, and Felicia is slacking off..." Alice rolled her eyes slightly, a foxy smirk playing on her lips.

"And Mary had a little lamb. These are things we know." I gestured with a hand to give her the all-clear.

"I just need you to deliver the food to a couple of tables... There's an order coming right up so if your majesty would be every so graceful in aiding us..." She pouted with her lower lip and looked me in the eyes, looking sad and miserable.

Sigh. "I'll take care of it, just give me a second alright?" I waved the pleading fox away, stretching out my body to prepare my muscles for movement.

"Thank you Charming, you're a saint." Alice blew a kiss my way and left the room, leaving the door half open behind her.

"Oh I know, I know." I said to quietly to myself. There often were times such as these where I was called into the draft to cover the floor, and not just because Felicia was slacking off. But mostly because we lacked the manpower to attend to every customer that comes in around lunch time and during the evenings.

Soon enough Felicia will have to hire a new waiter, or put Kieran to apprenticeship under my care. Either way it would make my job slightly easier when I didn't have to cover for the others as often as I do. Not that I really mind, it's more money in my pocket if I work extra.

One last sigh and I got up on my feet, rolling my shoulders slightly as I walked out of the office. Speaking of Kieran I haven't seen his wolf tail since our talk... He'd usually pounce at me whenever I stepped out of the office to ask for advice or whatnot.

"Order's ready." Frank called over by the kitchen counter, and I hurried up my steps. The lizard man in the kitchen rarely spoke, and even when he did talk it was in very short sentences. The only one who could get him to talk properly was Helen, the head chef. The deer woman was the sole reason nobody beside Frank stepped inside the kitchen... She could be very... protective of her kitchen.

Though Frank and I shared a special connection that no one else had with the lizard man! Every time I'd pick up an order, I'd give him a smile and he'd flick his forked tongue at me. I'm pretty sure I've never seen him do this anyone else among our coworkers, and I consider that a special bond between the two of us.

I moved one plate with salmon and one plate with the entrecote onto a tray, looking up at Frank he flicked his tongue right on queue as I sent a smile his way. Lastly I picked up the small sign with the number 13 on it, putting it on the tray I set out to deliver the food.

Non-smoking table, towards the middle... the table should be... over... here...

"What the-..." I said out loud without thinking, almost tripping over my own foot as I tried to stop and walk simultaneously. A bright flash lit up in front of me and blinded me temporarily, catching me in my glorious moment of balancing a tray with food up on one hand while I'm standing in a weird spread eagle position on one foot.

I stumbled forward, about to fall and WHAM!

I had the tray expertly slammed into their table with such force it sounded in the whole restaurant. Silence followed, very awkward silence.

I didn't move. Ian and Matt didn't move.

But in the back of the restaurant I heard a woman's distant laughter.

Another flash went off, and I turned my head to stare Ian down. He had his phone up, pointed right at my face, and the most ridiculous shit-eating grin I've never seen the likes of before.

"Hi Lukas." Ian had a hint of being on the brink of laughter, yet he remained cool while he eyed me up and down. Slowly I turned my head to look away from the fox and make eye contact with a puzzled wolf...

I didn't know what to say, still standing hunched over the table with my hands firmly grasping the tray. Thankfully the food had remained on the tray after my stunt... But truth be told that was the thing furthest down on my list to be worried about right now.

"Uh... Hi..." I said carefully, slowly letting go of my strong grip on the tray. I felt a searing hot blush burn my cheeks, feeling so embarrassed I wished I was back in the safety of the office.

Matt stared back at me, his jaw halfway open at a loss for words. His piercing yellow eyes was hard to decipher as he gave me an utmost cold, judging glare. Oh god... This can't be happening. I... what do I do?

"Oh my! What's wrong with you Lukas? This isn't like you at all. Why don't you say hello to my latest friend Matthew Sanders?" Ian spoke with such irony and sarcasm it sent shivers down my spine. "Matt, this is Lukas." His words had little effect on the wolf, the only reaction he gave that he had heard anything was the slight twitch if his wolf ears standing up straight in attention.

"Now why are the two of you acting so weird? It's almost like you've met each other before." Ian dropped the bomb on us, and in one swift motion both Matt and I turned out heads to stare at the white fox, only to face another flash light up in our faces. "I feel like I should pay for this, really." He said and put away his phone, not even bothering to cover just how much this amuses him by grinning so much all I could see was fangs.

"Regardless. Can I have my food now? I am very hungry after scheming this much." Ian's icy blue eyes trailed down to the plate with the salmon still placed on the tray, and then back up at me. It took me a minute, but slowly I reached for his plate and handed it over to him. I didn't have to ask who had ordered what, at this point I don't think I even cared if I messed up the order...

Quietly I placed Matt's order in front of him on the table, cheeks burning in embarrassment I looked up at his face, expecting to see a distasteful expression or... or something, I don't know... But Matt looked more, concerned, and only mildly surprised.

"Lukas? Are you alright?" He asked kind of like if he was unsure if it was the same Lukas he had been texting with not too long ago.

"Y-Yeah..." I stuttered out.

"So this is where you work?" Matt asked and scratched his chin. I nodded at him.

He looked at Ian, who was occupied with eating his salmon. "And where do you come in?" He asked, staring at the white fox.

Ian froze with his fork halfway up to his mouth, he looked to Matt innocently.

"Me? I'm just here for the salmon." Ian shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh, and for the drama of putting you two up with meeting each other without each other's knowledge." He mused.

Matt scratched his chin again, giving Ian a skeptical gaze. "So you knew who I was even before we met?" The question hit the head on the nail, making me feel a sting of shit was about to hit the fan.

"Well I am Lukas's oldest friend, and he shares everything with me. I'd have been a vegetable if I wouldn't recognize you by the picture perfect description Lukas gave of you." Ian glanced between Matt and I a couple of times. His eyes lingered on Matt as he saw the large wolf man, get shy? Matt's ears folded back slightly and he looked down on the table.

"O-Oh... I see... Hm..." Matt glanced up at me briefly, but quick enough looked away at his plate of forgotten food and reached for the cutlery. Seeing this time as good as any to bow out, I hurried to make an excuse for myself.

"W-Well, I hope you'll enjoy the food I... I have to get back to the office and... eh... work. I-... I'll text you after work." I bowed down quickly and left in a hurry, not giving Matt or Ian any time to reply before I had crossed the restaurant floor and approached the back. My heart was still racing and my mind was cloudy and numb. What had just happened? Why were Ian with Matt of all people, and eating here where I work? There was too many questions and this certainly wasn't the time or place to get answers. How the hell am I going to be able to work until my shift ends with all of this shit going on?

Gears grinding and mumbling quietly to myself, I almost crashed into Kieran passing in front of me from around a corner. The black wolf seemed as surprised as I was to see him, that he stepped backwards and hit the back of his head against the wall.

"Lukas! You scared the shit out of me, holy crap dude." Kieran put a paw over his heart, calming himself. "What the hell is going on? I heard a loud slam, and Alice was dying of laughter a moment ago." His wolf ears pointed outwards in confusion, and his head tilted to the side.

"I... uh, saw a friend I had not expected to see-..." SHIT! Shit shit shit shit! Kieran is here! And Ian! No, no, no, no. This can't be happening, this is just a really strange dream. I'm back in my bed. I'm dreaming, yeah. This is a dream.

"Oh, that's... cool? But what of Alice dying of laughter?" Kieran titled his head to the other side.

"Uhm... She... erh... She set me up. Yeah! She sent me to deliver the food to my friend without telling me he was here so, I got surprised." I tried my charming patended smile on the wolf. Please don't ask further...

"... She did? Heh, no wonder she was doubled over earlier... Quite the sight, hehe." Kieran looked bashful, rubbing the spot on the back of his head where he'd hit the wall before. Ooh, he was talking about... Tch, Kieran you pervert.

"Kieran, you didn't..." I narrowed my eyes at Kieran, watching him squirm slightly.

"Dude, you'd have stared too if you'd seen it, haha."A grin spread on his muzzle and he gave my shoulder a light tap with his fist.

"I'm sure I would've Kieran, eh. For the rest of your shift could you take inventory on our storages? I'd like to know if I missed something to place an order for." I said with some authority. Hoping the wolf would take the bait to keep him away from the floor for as long as possible.

"Shit dude, I'd love to. Man taking inventory is the best job to do here, plus I can listen to music while I do it." Kieran said with a wag of his tail.

"That's fine, take your time and make sure you're thorough." I ushered Kieran further inside the restaurant, moving away from the floor and the potential danger of the black wolf meeting his all time favorite author. Lord grant me strength.

"Aight, thanks dude." Kieran sent a short salute my way and disappeared towards the storage room.

I sighed heavily when I was left alone, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. I wonder what Ian and Matt are talking about right now... Or worse of all, what slander are Ian spreading about me to the wolf? Would he tell him I'm gay? That Ian and I horse around every now and then?

And what would Matthew think? Would he hate me? Look down on me because I'm just a low class citizen, and be friends with Ian instead because they actually have money to spend?

Or maybe he'd set out a bounty on my head and soon I'd have assassins slitting my throat.

I need coffee.

Felicia walked past me holding up a tray with dishes, the tray barely reaching up under my nose when she held it up. She didn't say anything as she walked by, but she had a slight skip in her step and hummed on a song I knew she always hummed on when she tried to stop herself from giggling...

I'm going to need a -lot- of coffee.