About Cats & Sunsets

chapter: o n e

Breathing heavily Milo set down the last of what seemed like endless boxes. All the stress from moving to a new country should now finally come to an end.

Milos new apartment was small and soon after extensively decorating hopefully cozier than the current white walls. The two small rooms of his apartment which were now full of boxes, contained all the stuff he had taken with him like his precious ghibli studio movie collection.

Slowly Milo sat down behind the closed door, still catching his breath and arms slightly arching. He would have done anything to be able to fall into a soft fresh bed now, but his was only a large mattress at the moment, leaning against a wall. After some more minutes Milo chose to stand up and at least begin the big unpacking ahead of him.

Five hours and a blue thumb later - he wasn't the most gifted person when it came to hammering his Ikea furniture together - he sat, satisfied with the outcome, on a large pile of very fluffy blankets and pillows with a steaming mug of hot vanilla tea in his hands. His new apartment looked even worse now than before, a result of him searching certain things while cursing at himself because he hadn't labeled the boxes during packing.

From his comfortable place he could perfectly look out of his window while watching the sunset. A major argument to him for chosing this flat. And while watching his first sunset after his arrival Milo felt like he had finally arrived in his new home.

The moment Milos alarm began to scream at him it was way too early - yes screaming: his best friend Luma had convinced him that John Cena screaming him out of bead very morning would be more motivating to leave his heavenly bed at ungodly, early hours. Spoiler: It wasn't.

While dragging himself out of bed Milo started regretting so many life choices. Such as not cleaning up when he nearly stepped on his charger or once he arrived in the kitchen, his decision to not buy a coffee machine.

At this point he was ready to go hide in his bed again but then he remembered why he had to stand up so early: He hadn't been grocery shopping yet. Silently devoting to his fate, he shuffled in the direction of the shower and while showering he planned to stop at a coffee shop on his way.

Luck was on his side when he left his apartment exactly 46 minutes later and found an old looking coffee shop just down the street. When he entered, a tiny bell above the door announced his arrival and he was immediately surrounded by the scent of freshly ground coffee. He inhaled deeply while walking to the counter. The shop looked old-fashioned and was cozily decorated. There were old looking pictures hung up behind the counter and an old chalkboard showed the various coffees, drinks and sweet backing goods you could buy. Milo immediately loved it here.

After ordering an iced latte and a sandwich he discovers a piece of paper pinned next to the register:

HIRING!!! WE ARE SEARCHING FOR A NEW BARISTA!!!

Milo couldn't believe his eyes. Had he saved someone important in his last life to deserve a job offer right in front his nose?

Smiling, what he hoped would make him look less weird, he turned to ask the barista who was currently working on his order: "Hey, uhm- is the barista job offer still available?"

The barista kindly smiled back. "As long as I know yes. If you have time for a couple of minutes, I can get Anouk. She's kinda the boss here even though she is more a mom to all of us than that." Milo nods understandingly. "Yes. That would be great. I'll wait."

Two weeks, a job and a dozen of sandwiches later - man Anouk was already spoiling him too much - Milo noticed that not owning a washing machine was slowly making itself noticeable. 

So he decided, after trying to squeeze himself into the tightest jeans he owned, that it was time for a trip to the small and cheap wash shop, he found while wandering around in the last week. Tired, he hoped that the brightly blinking 24 hours sign was telling the truth and that he could go there past midnight.

When Milo entered, the old wash shop smelled like washing powder and the artificial light coming from the old lamps made everything look a bit scarier than at day time. He yawned and slowly shuffled into the direction of the washing machines when he noticed that he wasn't alone.

A boy sat on one of the waiting benches, eyes glued to his phone, long slender fingers tapping from time to time. The phones light made his black hair appear blue-ish and the boy was boredly biting into his lower lip. Somehow he managed, even in this cheap lightning, to look absolutely stunning. Ripped Jeans, old worn out black converse and an oversized gray pullover in which the boy nearly drowned. Others might see the multiple earrings in combination with the dark clothing as dangerous, but Milo thought he looked soft. Soft, but still rough around the edges.

When the stranger noticed him he briefly looked up, blue cat like eyes stealing the last piece of Milos breath and piercing right through him like sharp knives. Milo might have to retract that soft statement because these eyes would possibly able to cut through steel. A small nod and all of the mysterious boys attention is back on the devices in his hands.

Milo just kept starring for what felt like hours. Slowly he shook his head. Quit starring like an idiot! And he slowly made his way over to the washing machine remembering is original goal. 

While he tried to figure out how these things were working he was still starstruck by the boy with the dark hair who seemed to scream trouble. Even when he sat in his bed later that day, in his hand a vanilla tea and watching the sunset he couldn't forget these deep blue eyes and cute button nose.

When Milo left his house water was pouring from the dark sky like its only mission was to drown Milo. Cursing at his old sneaker that started to soak in all the water, he was late .. again. He was supposed to meet his best friend Luma in 10 MINUTES??? Milo jumped a bit when he saw the time and hurried down the street. 

The bar where Luma worked and he was supposed to meet her was at least 20 Minutes away. With the grace of an elephant he jumped over puddles and nearly ran over a very cute dog. An apology and a really sharp corner later he caught a glimpse of vaguely familiar hair which sent him tripping and nearly falling.

The wash-shop-boy crouched down on the sidewalk, not caring about the rain or the puddle he was currently sitting in or how raindrops would drop from his wet hair into his face. He attentively watched something. 

Milo stopped in his tracks and tried to make out what the boy was doing.

Very slow the boy raised his finger to touch something small and green clinging onto a small blade of grass which somehow managed to survive on the streets concrete.

Milo identified what first looked like a green bubblegum as a little frog sitting there.

Oblivious to his surroundings the boy began to carefully pet the very small animal. Milo would have probably kept watching the cute picture unfolding in front of him but remembered just in time that he was literally running late already. Taking in another breath Milo continued running to the bus station.

To say Luma was not amused when he arrived 20 Minutes late was an understatement. And explaining that he missed his bus because of a cute stranger did also nothing in Milos favour. With the promise to pay the next time they would eat donuts together she forgave him but only after two very hard hits on his arm. Man this girl was strong...

Later on the same day Milo found himself talking to the sunset again. Somehow this was always his thing. Just in time to see the sky change from blue into various shades of yellow, orange and pinks and lilacs and then to a very dark blue, he would sit on his bed, a hot steaming mug of his favorite vanilla tea in his hands. Sometimes he talked to the sunset. Sometimes he just sat there and silently watched while thinking about the wonders of nature.

Today he told the sunset for the first time of the boy with the black hair. About the little frog which was brave enough to be petted by him. About the eyes as deep and blue as the sea.

And he asked, why he remembered the boy so clearly.