Like Cats & Dogs | H. S.

10

You walk through the crowded streets with Frank, taking some random pictures here and there, when you spot a sign saying 'Banks Gallery', catching your attention.

"Can I help you?" Someone says and you turn around.

"Tyra!" You smile.

"y/n, hello!"

"Do you work here?"

"More or less, I own the place."

"This too?"

"And a couple of other spots in South Heaven. My husband was a very smart investor." She smiles, "But he loved this gallery, so I keep it up as best as I can. Now, I'm so sorry once again for the rental situation. Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"There's nothing else available, so we're staying put." You shrug.

"Well, that's wonderful. And if it helps, I'm gonna return half of the rental fee to both of you." She offers.

"Thank you." You smile.

"It's the least I can do... You're a photographer?" She looks at your camera.

"Oh, not at all. I just take pictures."

"You choose your frame, and your lens, you're a photographer." She states and you chuckle, "May I?"

"No, I don't show anyone... they're just for me."

"None of that in here. This is a sacred space, all art is safe between these walls."

"Okay..." You mutter shyly, taking your camera from around your neck and giving it to her.

Tyra takes it and goes through some of your pictures, smiling to herself, "A little Adams. Maybe some Imogen Cunningham... You don't photograph people?"

"No, I'd be too embarrassed to even try, that's too personal." You tell her.

"Nonsense, the human face is the greatest subject of all." She smiles, handing you the camera, "You have an eye."

"I do?"

"My husband and I made it our mission to encourage young artists. I'm trying to carry it on, but it's not easy these days... Hey, maybe you'd like to help me?"

"What?" You frown.

"Here at the gallery. There's so much you could do, catalogue, arrange things, and in return I'd teach you everything I've learned. We could even study the great photographers together. Arbus, Cartier-Bresson..."

"Thank you, but I'm here for only two weeks..."

"Perfect. The South Heaven Art Fair is two weeks away. I've to put a big show and I could use some help."

"Can I think about it?" You ask, a bit overwhelmed.

"Of course. You have a talent y/n, it'd be a shame to see it go to waste." She tells you before walking away.

---

"Frank!" You shout when your pet runs from you as soon as you enter the house. To your surprise, he goes sit next to Mozart on the couch, with Harry by their side, "I think Frank might be getting used to him." You smile.

"Good, because I've came up with a solution for our living situation." Harry informs, standing up and heading to the kitchen counter. You follow him, and he picks up a paper, "Right here."

"'Treaty for living under the same roof'." You read out loud, and glance at him.

"I thought, since we have to compromise, we might as well set some ground rules."

"'Music shall only be played in common areas, between 7am and 9pm, and at a sound level of sixty decibels or less'." You continue to read, your eyes widened.

"I measured the volume on your speakers, it was eighty-eight." He tells you, and you roll your eyes.

"'Pet access to the common areas will be on a rotation, with feline activity limited to even hours and canine activity to odd hours'."

"I think that's perfectly reasonable, right?"

"'Residents might occupy the bathroom a maximum of three times per day, with a duration of maximum twenty minutes'."

"Oh, one more thing." He takes the paper and writes something, handing it to you again, "Two towels maximum. And to make things easier..." He goes to the fridge, opening it and revealing a yellow stripe diving the inside, "Half for you, half for me. Simple, uh?" He smiles like an idiot, and you just stare at him with your jaw dropped.

The next couple days went on like that, with Harry waking you up with his stupid morning exercises, and following his stupid rules, by him knocking on the bathroom door when you're a minute past time or coming to low the volume of your music when you're just trying to read your magazine in peace in the backyard. You were not in the mood for this, so you decided to show up at Gigi and Zayn's door at night, with a shy "Hi."