New Horizons ./. milo

[katherine rivera]

As Katherine walked to the nearest hotel with Milo's hand entwined in hers, she thought over Milo's words in her head on the subject of coming clean, or keeping themselves a secret. What were they going to do; what in the fuck were they going to do? She had no clue, and she hoped that one would seem to pop up in front of them right away, if not soon.

Looking out ahead of their walking path, she could see a Holiday Inn, as Milo had mentioned eariler. They started heading that way; the sky no longer crying, but looking awful threating, as if considering another outburst. Katherine, not taking to the silence around them, decided to make some noise. "Either way, we're in the doghouse... that's... all that can be said, unless we brainstorm about it further... fuck, it's sort of depressing..." Katherine sighed, and shook her head. "And, uh - what do you mean big apple cockroaches are no laughing matter?"

Upon reaching the hotel, Katherine paused in the enterance, letting her hand casually slip out of Milo's. She then looked to him and crossed her arms, then looking out the door to see if rain threatened to fall once more. "Now, as for money matters - I really think you shouldn't have to pay this time - it's totally my turn, but if I can't convince you, I will settle for splitting the bill, Slick." She smiled slightly, looking back to him. One by one, raindrops began to fall from the sky; they had made it in just in time.

[milo martin]

Milo just laughed. "I don't mean to scare you. But I've seen some pretty gnarly-looking roaches crawl across my floor more than once. One was just about the size of Mephistopheles. Almost put a leash on it," he joked. He was exaggerating, of course, but there was nothing worse than sitting on the couch and seeing an abnormally large roach scurry across the floor. "Let me just say that sometimes in New York, you can't even be barefoot in your own apartment."

He gave a small shrug. "We have all the time in the world to figure out how we're going to handle this. For now, all I feel like doing is being somewhere quiet...with you, of course. Maybe we'll order a little room service. I haven't eaten in two days."

As they stepped inside the hotel, just as the rain began to fall, Katherine crossed her arms indignantly and insisted on paying for the room.

“Come on, babe, I wouldn’t feel right if you paid,” Milo said with a small smile. “Please? It’s only one night, and if you feel raw about it, you can spring for the room service. Is that fair? I think it is.”

[katherine rivera]

“Come on, babe, I wouldn’t feel right if you paid,” A small smile spread across his lips. Katherine rolled her eyes; he wasn't going to make this easy, was he? “Please? It’s only one night, and if you feel raw about it, you can spring for the room service. Is that fair? I think it is.” Katherine raised her brow slightly, looking out to the window, then back to Milo. "Gah - fine, fine... you best be glad that I now officially suck at giving the cold shoulder and whatnot..." She smiled and shook her head. "It's a deal."

After taking one last look out the window, Katherine turned away from the rain and walked up beside Milo, then smiling and walking forward, into the main lobby, then to the big-haired, pleasantly old-fashioned lady behind the desk. Katherine asked for a room, and the lady tittered and nodded her head in agreement. "You kids from out-of-town?" "Er...", Katherine looked to Milo, then back to the lady, "Sort of..." The lady tittered again and grabbed a random key from the assorted collection on the wall. She handed the key of choice to Katherine, and smiled a gawdy smile; her teeth as white as luminescent lightbulbs. Katherine smiled, and then turned to Milo. "He's getting the tab..." Katherine then laughed, clicked her tounge and rolled her eyes. "Men, lemme' tell ya, right?" The lady behind the counter laughed. Katherine smirked at Milo and looked at the key within her hand - it was for room 26.

After Milo paid the lady, she walked with him to the elevators, still laughing a bit. "...Shoulda' let me get the tab..." She playfully poke his side, then smiled. "I'm just messing with you... but still, if we ever pay for something again, I need to buy, or else we split it." The doors magically opened, complimented with a pleasing 'ting', and the couple stepped in as another stepped out. Katherine leaned her back against the wall of the elevator, sighing. "So - you haven't eaten in two days? Join the club - although, I drank water like it was going out of style, but other than that, I just haven't been hungry... but, I think, I'll enjoy a meal with you today, sir."

[milo martin]

Milo put an arm around Katherine’s waist as they approached the front reception desk. She took the initiative to ask for a room from the elderly woman with hair like something out of a John Waters movie. They made small talk as Milo’s eyes wandered the lobby. The place was a pretty generic chain, one you saw advertised on highway off-ramps and relatively close to the airport.

Milo reached for his wallet and produced his debit card without bating an eyelash to secure the payment for one night’s stay – a mere one hundred and ten dollars for a room with a queen-sized bed and a color TV with cable. Not that they’d be watching the TV anyway. All Milo really wanted to do was be with Katherine. The woman handed Katherine the room key after making a teasingly snarky comment and they were on their way. The only luggage in hand was Katherine’s, so Milo supposed that the woman didn’t suspect that they were only going to use the room for anything except as a place to stay. Perhaps she thought they had missed their flight or were just coming in from a long trip.

They walked to the elevators and as Katherine insisted once more that she pay, Milo just shook his head. “Absolutely not. There was no way I was going to let you pay. Like I said, we can order some room service, but that’s as far as I’m letting you go.”

Once inside the elevator, Katherine leaned against the back wall. "So - you haven't eaten in two days? Join the club - although, I drank water like it was going out of style, but other than that, I just haven't been hungry... but, I think, I'll enjoy a meal with you today, sir."

“Good,” Milo said, sauntering over to her. “Because you need some meat on your bones.” He came close to her and kissed her neck with a little pressure, almost leaving a hickey but not quite. “I don’t like girls who look like they’re made of matchsticks. I can’t have you waste away to nothing.”

[katherine rivera]

As she leaned her head back against the wall, Katherine took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to relax and rid herself of some of the previous stress from the morning, and, well, from the two months. “Good,” Hearing Milo's voice, Katherine's eyes opened easily; at first, she thought he had spoken more while she was zoned out, but apparently he didn't, as he came closer to her. “Because you need some meat on your bones.” She rose her brow at his remark; closing in on her, he came to kiss her neck, using the slightest amount of pressure. “I don’t like girls who look like they’re made of matchsticks. I can’t have you waste away to nothing.”

Katherine snickered under her breath and exhaled her deep breath, then letting her sights meet with Milo's. "Well then - I think I should be saying the same to you, Romes. At least I kept water in me - you haven't had much but alcohol, from what you've told me - you need food in that system of yours."

Just then, the sudden stop of the elevator and the delightful 'ting' signed that they had reached their destination. Katherine looked to see if anyone was waiting to get in; no one stood before the newly-opened doors. Katherine smirked and leaned in to brush his cheek with her lips. "C'mon -", she said, readjusting her purse and few duffel bags on her shoulders. Looking from door to door, she searched for the golden twenty-six that would ring true amongst all other numbers.

Success - room twenty-six was on the left-side of the floor. Katherine walked up to the door and inserted the key into the doorknob and twisted it once and sighed at the sound of the door clicking open. She stood back and held the door open for Milo, letting him go in first. After he entered, she followed behind him.

Upon entering the room, a woosh of cold air and smell of fresh linens hit Katherine's senses, causing her to shiver a bit. She sat upon the bed and dumped off her two duffel bags and her purse, taking out her cellphone, debating on turning it on to check for messages. Alas, she refrained, shaking her head and putting it back in her purse. "So, about that food service? What're you hungry for, babes?"

She got up from the bed, one of her duffels in tow, and went to set it on the other side of the room where Milo had put her bigger bag. Katherine then turned to where Milo stood and then walked up to him, looking him in the eye. She then walked behind him and put her arms around him; her head resting on his back. "I am buying us food - you need to eat, boy." She took in his scent again, closing her eyes.

[milo martin]

“I’ll be okay,” Milo said with a small smile, amused by her concern. “I just want you taken care of.” He kissed her lips once more just as the elevator doors slid open. He gave a soft laugh and prayed no one was waiting to get on the elevator. Luck was indeed on his side – they hadn’t given anyone a private show.

He helped Katherine with her baggage to room 26. She opened the door and let Milo enter first, which he did, dragging her largest piece of luggage. There was something about hotel rooms that Milo always loved. They always smelled clean and fresh, and homey. He went over to the windows and opened up the curtains slightly. The clouds had rolled in, giving everything a bluish-gray tint, and there was a light drizzle. Katherine settled down on the bed. Milo heard her rummaging around as he stared out the window. He was unconcerned with anything else right now. His mind wandered towards the future…he and Kat would go back to New York, they’d get married. Probably nothing fancy, maybe just a civil ceremony at City Hall. They’d have to find work, some way to make an income, especially if neither of their bands ended up winning the record contract. He wanted Scheduled Nurse to make it, but money wasn’t going to just automatically fall into his lap.

Milo then felt Kat’s arms snake up around his waist and her head rest against his back. It dropped him out of his reverie. It was a sweet moment, her body pressed close to his.

"I am buying us food - you need to eat, boy."

“Mmm, I'm not hungry. I don’t feel like eating now,” Milo sighed, putting one of his hands on top of hers. He turned and gathered her into his arms, kissing her. “I just want to be with you right now. Can we just lie down together?”

[katherine rivera]

As Katherine embraced Milo from behind, she listened to his heart beat as she rested her head against his back. He breathed evenly; in and out – inhale, exhale. It was calmed, normal – but, so beautiful to hear. A breath was like a treasure to her; the simplest of things mattered as the most extravagant. Picking her head up, she then rested her chin on his shoulder, looking through his eyes; taking in the view he could see. The skies were a gray-gone-blue, and the rain came down in sheets of hard drizzle. It may have been depressing to some, but, it left Katherine at ease. Rain always did. It calmed her; gave her a sense of peace. She wished she could smell the rain, at the moment; she bet with herself that it would have smelt amazing, especially now that her senses had their inspiration back. She closed her eyes a moment, exhaling silently, thinking of what sounded good to snack on.

Katherine felt Milo sigh; she could feel him put a hand overtop one of her own. “Mmm, I'm not hungry. I don’t feel like eating now,” Katherine rolled her eyes behind his back in a playful manner. The kid hadn’t had any food in two days – yeah, he was going to eat while the chance was before him. Besides – it was one of her newfound duties to take care of him, and by god, she’d do it. In her head, she laughed with herself; fuck, she’d feed him if she had to. Before she could say anything in response, Milo turned to face Katherine and gathered her into his embrace once more, kissing her. Katherine smiled a bit, awaiting to hear his excuse, or, whatever happened to sing-song its way from the beautiful boy’s mouth. “I just want to be with you right now. Can we just lie down together?”

Katherine blinked a few times, giving him one of those classic sitcom-ish motherly looks, cracking a smile, slowly. “Your lucky your beautiful, boy – heh, but yes, that we can.” Katherine then squeezed him slightly, returning the embrace, and bringing her lips to his ear. “ Regardless, though, Romes – you are so gonna eat, and you are not falling asleep on me, eh?” She then ended her short embrace with him, bringing her sights to him and smiling. Truly, she liked his idea – it sounded welcoming and quite inviting, but she still wouldn’t let him get away from eating before the evening ended.

[milo martin]

“I don’t plan on falling asleep,” Milo replied with a smile, cupping her cheek with one hand. “I just want to be close to you.” He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “And the only thing I’m lucky about is the fact that you’re here with me.” He gave her one more kiss before going over to the bed and sitting down to untie his dirty sneakers, letting them drop onto the carpet.

“Unless you’re hungry – then by all means, order up. I just need to relax, let it be quiet for an hour or so,” he sighed, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms, trying to rid himself of the last mascara residue still clinging to his lashes.

“Looks like it’s going to rain,” he commented, nodding toward the windows. “It’s kind of like a deja-vu, isn’t it? The last time we were in a hotel room…it was raining…” He unzipped his hoodie, revealing a faded Beatles tee, but did not remove it. The air in the bedroom was still a little too cold. He needed to have her close, exchanging body heat. He was kidding, of course, but it was almost unfortunate – he felt like the only way he could be close and intimate with Katherine was in a hotel room, away from everyone else, secluded. He wished he could be with her the way Alex was with Luka: out in the open, letting everyone know that you were your beloved’s and your beloved was yours. Milo wanted to be able to kiss her backstage after a good set, go out to a bar and celebrate a job well done and put a hand on her thigh, spend the night in one another’s caravans and wake up next to each other. He couldn’t wait until this tour was over when he was free to love her the way he wanted.

[katherine rivera]

“I don’t plan on falling asleep,” --- “I just want to be close to you.” Milo cupped Katherine's cheek with one hand, stroking it with the pad of his thumb. “And the only thing I’m lucky about is the fact that you’re here with me.” Seemingly leaving it at that, aiming for a perfect exit, Milo sealed his words with a kiss as he went over to the bed and sat down. Katherine folded her arms to herself, wrapping them around her, as she looked out the window, pondering the rain again.

The room held that same, familiar cold air that clung to her when she and Milo had went to the first hotel. Only, this hotel seemed to have theirs cranked pretty damn high - but, in the other instance, both had food and drink in their system and stayed close the entire night, so, what cold was there to feel, right? Katherine looked over her shoulder briefly to see Milo taking off his shoes, letting them fall to the ground with a satisfying thud.

“Unless you’re hungry – then by all means, order up. I just need to relax, let it be quiet for an hour or so,” Katherine, upon hearing his voice, looked over her shoulder again. Milo rubbed his eyes, resembling that of a sleepless child. Katherine smiled a bit, holding back a small laugh, looking back out the window. "I am not dying of hunger, so I will wait until you want something... that's fine, I am all for quiet... perhaps, you should take a nap?" Katherine couldn't help but giggle a bit - he did look like he could use a good snooze.

Behind her, Milo commented on the rain. Katherine turned her attention back over her shoulder. Milo nodded towards the window. “It’s kind of like a deja-vu, isn’t it? The last time we were in a hotel room…it was raining…” Katherine's eyes widened a bit, turning back to the window, realizing he was right. It was raining on that night, just like it was beginning to now. Memories rushed back, triggered by the rain, the hotel room - everything.

Katherine looked out the window, focusing on the big drops of rain that now ran down the window. She walked up to it, letting go of her embrace on herself, letting her fingertips glide over the glass, etching and tracing the paths of the drops. "I remember...I remember perfectly..." Katherine closed her eyes, biting her lip lightly, then reopening them. "I remember that... that we ran in the rain, and..." She let her fingers go limp, dropping from the glass, slowly. "It was... perfect."

The girl then turned around and looked to Milo, walking towards the bed. Katherine crawled up on the bed on her knees, and sat, japanese-style, in front of Milo. She then reached for one of his hands, taking it in hers, tracing his palm with her fingertips. "Your hands are freezing..." She looked up, her eyes meeting with his. She then came out of her japanese positioning and moved beside Milo, setting normally.

Once beside him, she let the back of her hand touch to his forehead. He didn't seem warm, ruling out the pre-fever chills - he was just chilled. "You are freezing... do you want me you cover you up, or, depending on how you feel, perhaps a hot shower may do you some good?"

[milo martin]

“I don’t need a nap,” Milo insisted with a small smile. “Just you.” She looked so perfect, silhouetted in front of the window, her arms crossed, her hair down her back. She looked as if she was about to be photographed in black and white and then put on display in a museum. He had the urge to break out his camera phone and snap a few pictures of her. He wanted to remember the way she looked at this moment forever.

Katherine commented on their last time in a hotel together, her voice as gentle as the mist outside, "I remember...I remember perfectly...I remember that...that we ran in the rain, and it was... perfect."

“It was perfect,” Milo agreed with a small nod. Katherine then turned and walked towards the bed before crawling onto it and sitting beside him. She took one of his hands into hers and a chill went up his spine, from the electricity of her touch. She traced the lines of his palm with her fingertips. “Taking a palm reading, miss? How much do I owe you?”

"Your hands are freezing..." Katherine touched the back of her hand to his forehead and Milo couldn’t help but chuckle. It was such a motherly gesture – it brought back memories of his grandmother. Then, he felt guilty for thinking about his grandmother when his fiancée (his fiancée, Jesus Christ…) was sitting right before him.

Milo shook his head at her suggestion of a shower. “No, no shower. It’s fine.” He freed his hand from hers and grasped her gently about the wrists, kissing her fingers. “Come here.” Milo pulled her back down to the bed with him kissing her softly as they laid back. Milo wrapped his arms around Katherine’s waist and nestled his head on her chest with a contented sigh. He could hear her heart beating; it was the most soothing lullaby he'd ever heard.

[katherine rivera]

“Taking a palm reading, miss? How much do I owe you?” Katherine slightly shook her head, snorting lightly at his comment. Palm reading - she was no expert, but she had heard a couple of the meanings of certain patterns within the palm from a plam reader in Vegas, that she had met once while wandering after a local show.

Katherine searched over his palm once more, trying to remember some of those linings that the woman had told her of. Her fingers traced lightly over the creases and indentations of Milo's palm, just as they did with the rain outside the glass before. One thing that did stand out to her, was a tiny cross that was located a bit above the middle pressure point of his palm. A cross meant that the person was close to God - especially if it was located in the exact middle of the palm. Katherine had a fair-sized cross in the middle of her palm. Milo's was close enough the middle, so - was this true for him?

"Mmm - you owe me - six gold coins, sir. No, really - I am no palm reader, but I know a few things from a real live one that I met in Vegas... you do have a small cross here..." Katherine let her fingers glide over it, showing him where it was. "Supposedly, it means you are close to God if this cross is in the middle of the palm, positioned perfectly between the pressure points. Yours isn't quite straight, but it's close enough... I have one, too." Katherine held up the hand that she was using to inspect his hand with, briefly flashing the cross.

“No, no shower. It’s fine.” Milo shook off the idea of the shower, quickly releasing his hand from hers. He seized her wrists, holding them gently within his grasp, kissing her fingers. Katherine rolled her eyes, shaking her head. No food, no hot shower - there was no cure. And, it didn't seem that Milo cared for a solution at the moment. 'As he wished'

“Come here.” Milo pulled Katherine back onto the bed with him, kissing her as he did so. Katherine closed her eyes and sighed, enjoying the feeling of his lips; the feeling of him simply being near her. His arms wrapped around her waist as he laid his head on her chest, sighing in a sense of contentment.

Katherine smiled as Milo nestled his head on her chest, as if he was listening to her heartbeat. She let her fingers mingle with his hair again, playing with it and twisting it within her writhe fingers. "Do you feel at ease now?" She closed her eyes, listening to the rain picking up, hitting of of the window, and listening to Milo's breathing. "It feels good to be back here... with you...and to know... that you still love me."

Katherine opened her eyes slightly, and looked to the ceiling. "Rest assured... that my heart only beats for you."

[milo martin]

Milo watched her trace the lines of his hand with a small amused smile. He liked how she pretended to look like she was concentrating on what she was doing, so seriously. He bit back a laugh. The glide of her fingers made goosebumps erupt on his arms.

“Six gold coins? How about six kisses instead?” he chuckled and leaned in, kissing her six times, rapid fire. He sat on his heels and listened to her “analysis”.

“A cross?” he repeated with a raised eyebrow. “Hmm. Well, I can’t really say I’m close to God. I was raised Catholic – or at least I was when me and my brothers went to live with my grandma. She forced us to go to Catholic school, and it was a really old-fashioned kind of Catholic school, the kind where they made you go to mass and beat you with rulers if you misbehaved. And oh yes, I misbehaved! I wore a uniform, complete with a tie, and was taught by nuns until I was fifteen and went to public school. That was the best thing I ever did – it’s where I met Alex and Locky. But, I’m not…well, I was never religious, really. I think a lot of religion is kind of fake. Music is my only religion.” He paused. That was probably the most he had ever revealed about himself to someone other than his band mates.

When Katherine flashed her own “cross”, Milo caught her hand in his to see if he could see it. He couldn’t, but he bluffed a bit. “Ah – so you do.” He pressed his lips to her palm and smiled. Yes, this is what he craved: her being near, her touch, her scent, her smile. Nothing food or a hot shower could take care of.

Now that they were snuggled up close together, Milo closed his eyes as Katherine played with his hair. He knew she loved doing that. If he could purr like a kitten, he would.

"Do you feel at ease now?" she asked.

He glanced up at her and broadened his smile. “Of course. You’re the only thing I need, you know. You’re my only cure. You saved me, you know. I wouldn’t be here right now if you had walked away from me…or gotten on that plane.” He reached up and took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers, lacing them together.

"Rest assured... that my heart only beats for you."

Milo sighed with contentment, his smile broadening. “That’s great to hear,” he said, cuddling closer to her. He listened to the soothing rhythm of her heart, in time with his. “I want to know who you are,” he said softly, speaking into the fabric of her shirt, running his hand down her arm. “I want to know everything about you.”

[katherine rivera]

“Of course. You’re the only thing I need, you know. You’re my only cure. You saved me, you know. I wouldn’t be here right now if you had walked away from me…or gotten on that plane.” Katherine opened her eyes, and looked down from the ceiling to Milo, his smile broadening. Milo reached up to take the hand that played with his hair into his own, lacing their fingers together. Katherine smiled, liking the warm feeling of his palm against hers.

While lulling in the feeling of being so close to Milo once again, she reflected back on his words from earlier, about being Catholic and speaking a bit on how he met up with Locky and Alex. She laughed inwardly at the thought of Milo, misbehaving, in Catholic school - well, not really suprised at misbehaving, but - ! Moreover, the mental picture of the boy in a uniform. That made Katherine fight to hold back a giggle or two.

“I want to know who you are,” --- “I want to know everything about you.” Milo spoke in a soft tone, talking into Katherine's hoodie. Katherine blushed a bit, caught off guard by the question while off laughing to herself about envisioning Milo as a Catholic Crusader. "About m-me?" Katherine paused and looked down at him, then to the ceiling again. "Who I am...about me... well, what exactly do you want to know? I'm not too shabby on going off on a story about myself on freewill... er, ask me anything, I guess, and I will answer." She looked back down to him, laughing a bit.

[milo martin]

Milo gave a small shrug, giggling a little bit. "I want to know...well, everything." He paused. "I mean, I want to know the unimportant things you don't tell anyone because they're unimportant - but they're important to me."

Milo played with her hand once more, lacing their fingers, letting their skin slide against each other, running his the pads of his fingers over her nails, which were well-maintained. "I want to know your favorite color. I want to know how old you were when you first got the chicken pox, the name of your first boyfriend and what football team you root for. Or baseball. Or basketball. I want to know if you played any sports in high school and what song you first slow danced to." As he spoke, he kept playing with her hand, feeling her skin beneath his. He glanced up at her.

"You're my life now. What's mine is yours. I want to be inside your world."

[katherine rivera]

"I want to know...well, everything." /"I mean, I want to know the unimportant things you don't tell anyone because they're unimportant - but they're important to me." Katherine chuckled inwardly to herself, trying to think of all the unimportant things. God only knew that, if given the chance, and with the right person who could... and would... take it all in, the girl could rant for hours. Media, Anime, Manga - many of things that lots could give two shits about, but she did.

While speaking, Milo played with their hands more, as if they were his own personal dolls of some sorts. He laced their fingers again, letting the pads of his fingers glide over her nails. Katherine watched him as he focused on their hands. "I want to know your favorite color. I want to know how old you were when you first got the chicken pox, the name of your first boyfriend and what football team you root for. Or baseball. Or basketball. I want to know if you played any sports in high school and what song you first slow danced to."

"You're my life now. What's mine is yours. I want to be inside your world." As he glanced up at her, Katherine couldn't help but blush a bit. "Hmm... okay... let's see..." She tried to silently damn her blush away as she began to think of answers for his questions. "My favorite color is purple...I was six when I got the chickenpox, and I got out of kindergarten for two weeks, so, that was quite boss, um... eh, first boyfriend...." Katherine pondered the question. "I never really considered any boy that I was with in the past as my first... we were just friends with benefeits, but if I must name one, his name was Franco... football is definitely Dallas...basketball is blah, as is baseball..."

Now, it was onto the final two. "In high school, I was a rebel - I played no sports. I hated high school sports. And... the first slow song I danced to was..." Katherine laughed at the thought of it, as it refreshed itself within her mind. "A song by 98 Degrees... I think it was called, 'My Everything'...? Gah, it was glorious... it was at a school dance. I danced with Gabe, Katy, and Franco... in fact, I think that's when I first met him..."

Katherine shook her head and sighed a bit. "Memories... some sweet, some not so sweet... BUT, now, for trade, you must answer those same questions, love."