Chapter Text
Click click click click click click
The constant shuttering of cameras shoots and targets the greyhound as he poses along the Piazza Affurio in Milano. As the photographers shoot, a black and grey husky with a unique blue dye looks over the set. With each shot, he gets a real-time image of each photo as it gets uploaded into a central computer. “Okay, Sal, just one more pose, and we should be done for the day!” He exclaims as he takes a sip of espresso, sighing a bit, gazing down at his watch for the time.14:45. Well, at least we’re about done for the day. Hopefully, I can send these photos to the editors by tonight for Gekki.
As he looked over the rest of the photos, he would write notes for each photographer to improve during editing. While writing down, a charm necklace dangles along his neck with two charms: a camera and a pair of skates.
After a couple of minutes, the canine poses against the fountain, arms resting on the fountain edge as the photographers finish their takes. to hold him up, a foot resting along the edge of the fountain where the photographers could finish up for the day. “Alright, y’all, that’s a wrap!” He called out, walking over to the center of the shoot with hands together in a pleased manner. “Thank you, everyone. I hope to see y’all at HQ next week. Y’all take the rest of the day off, but remember to send Mina the finalized photos with edits tonight for final approval by Gekki and Harper’s Buzzard.” The canine says, closing the laptop and putting his gear away as he walks over to the greyhound. “And as for you, Sal, I think you and I…should get something to drink. I’m fucking exhausted.” Sal, the greyhound, let out a hearty laugh as he gets up from the fountain. “Oh, thank the gods, my butt was getting sleepy on that fountain rail.” The blue husky chuckled a bit as he helped Sal get off the fountain, handing him a jacket and a hat as he held his backpack.
“So Kieran, your work is essentially done, and your assistant is helping with the finalized portfolio,” Sal mentions, buttoning up the blue and white button-up shirt. “Not to mention that we no longer have any additional projects until next month, so…I was wondering if you wanna just-““Stop by at La Galleria Vino Gazellea?” The canine interrupted, pulling his backpack up on his back. “If that’s what you were gonna say, then you already know my answer. So let’s get a taxi before they close.”
The trip to the Galleria didn’t take long; an 8-minute drive from the piazza separated the distance as the couple walked through the myriad of boutiques. An hour later, the two walk through the piazza with a few bags at hand, trying to find the closest bench. As they walked, the both of them were on their phones, Sal texting his manager about the month-long vacation he intends to take and Kieran looking over the news of the GBSF. While not currently professional skaters, Sal and Kieran were originally in the GBSF, the professional and junior leagues, respectively. While Kieran eventually retired from the profession to focus on photography and cinematography at Empiria University. Sal did his studies and competed in the professional leagues, earning both a bachelor’s and master’s, as well as the GBSF championship, before retiring to do modeling full-time.
“So, Sal, I’ve been thinking.” He started, looking over photos of one of the competitors, a familiar bat-eared vulpine in a stunning costume. “I know that Hana wanted to take a break from us, but…Given what you said about Sue, someone that makes me think of a gaslighting, gatekeeping girlboss without a shred of integrity or sanity,” a gentle chortle escapes from Sal’s lips from Kieran’s comment, “and the subsequent stresses of competing in series 4, I think we should maybe visit Hana. Maybe just fix things between the three of us.”
There was a silent moment between the both of them. They looked into each other’s eyes as Sal closed his and sighed. “Well…I suppose you’re right. The only problem is that, given what we’ve both done and the constant bickering…I wouldn’t blame him.” The greyhound leaned back as he looked back at his phone. “You know Hana is still smitten with you. I could tell that he’s having a hard time accepting it.”
“Then again, with all the bickering I’ve done, I wouldn’t expect him to necessarily make it all work out between the two of us.” The Siberian husky groaned as they sat on a bench close to the Gekki café. “There are times when I think about the incident. When we were together and…the time that we’ve broken his heart. I wouldn’t be surprised if he were to refuse me and go back with you, Sal.”
Sal shifts a stern gaze towards Kieran. “Kieran Alacantara, there are a lot of things that I remember hating when I first met you. You thinking negatively about what could possibly happen is one of them.” He smiles sadly, an arm wrapped around Kieran as he gives the canine a gentle kiss on the cheek. “We know Hana like it is a novel from start to finish. I see the ways that make him beautiful, and you are the one with the eloquence and imagery that can frame the beauty from within. Sufficed to say that in terms of him forgiving you is undoubtedly true. As for him accepting a polycule, well, it’ll take time. But at the very least, we can communicate about the terms and ensure he’s comfortable. At the end of the day... that’s all that matters.”
The blue canine nodded as he hugged back, kissing Sal more along the greyhound’s lips. “I suppose you’re right. But for now is Hana, we should come by before the end of the series-”.
A gentle buzz came from both Sal’s phone as it interrupted the conversation between both individuals. “Well damn, speak of the devil… it’s Hana. You want to talk with him real quick?” Kieran quickly grabs the phone and looks at the screen. It was definitely Hana’s face, bright and cheery as usual. Taking a deep breath, he answers the phone.
“Hana, it’s Kieran. I just wanted to apologize-“
“Kieran, it’s Mimi. Where’s Sal?”
It was the younger Kitsu, answering Hana’s phone. “Well, Sal’s with me at the Galleria. We were just about to leave soon for the competition.” There was a sense of tension in Mimi’s voice as he waited in the gentle silence between the receiver.” Well, I think you two should get here now. Sue cut him on the shoulder with her toe pick!” A speechless, Kieran gasped as he looked back at the phone, then back at Sal looking at him with a confused look. “Sal, get the plane tickets. We need to go right now. Hana’s hurt bad.” That was all Kieran said as he grabbed his stuff from the ground, practically jumping from the chair and toward the exit.