Sunset Reflections ...

Posted on Saturday, 1 August 2020 - 1:33pm by Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie

Mission: Operation: Jabberwocky
Location: Earth, Japan
Timeline: 2393 - MD 08

{ON:}

Having seen Alex and Soral home Maximus and Haru had returned to their cottage paradise. Both had been tired and had fallen asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. To bond their minds in the way they had, had been taxing for both.

They had woken just before the sun had begun to set. Sitting out on the porch both looked on as the gentle lapping of the ocean licked at the sand. The sky, just hours ago, a majestic blue now began to glow gently in a muted orange colour with coral pops of pink. The lemon yellow sun bathed the blue ocean, now darkening, with sparkling highlights.

A perfect evening.

The breeze was soft and warm as it caressed their faces. No words were spoken by either, no words needed to be spoken. Max was struck by how integrated his soul felt to Haru’s. He reflected on a quote that he couldn’t quite recall to whom it should be attributed to. Something about love being friendship set on fire. He could see it.

He sat reflecting on his relationship with Haru. It was…a certainty of knowing that Haru would always be there. It was a feeling that the man at his side had always been there, should always be there, and will always be there. It was a deep fondness and a knowing that this was right and beautiful.

For the first time in a long time Max was content and secure. All that he’d gone through over the years, the pain, the uncertainty, it had all been wiped away with this bond that, he knew, would be eternal. He knew that this beautiful being called Haru would not be able to exist without him and vice versa.

Taking a long sip of the warm camomile tea he closed his eyes listening to the hiss of the ocean. It was as if the sound penetrated his very soul.

He turned his head to the right and caught Haru’s glace. Both smiled and once again a million words were said yet none passed audibly between them. There was however a tinge sadness to the moment. As if in recognition to it the shrill sound of a bird calling punctuated the gentle foaming of the ocean. Max knew that in a few short days he and Haru would part, each would go along his marry way to his ship parted from one another yet never truly parted. Always they would be touching a deep part of one another even across the light years that separated them but they would not have a moment like this in God knows how long.

There was such a fragile stillness to the moment that Max was afraid to break it. Taking another sip he focused his attention on the setting sun once more.

It hadn’t been long, only ten minutes but the surroundings had darkened quite a bit. It was a further testament to how quickly things could change.

The warm air chilled ever so slightly as it caressed his heated skin. Small bumps of goose flesh rose on his arms and the hair on his head swayed gently tangled by the breeze. The sun sank ever lower on its journey to slumber.

He remembered a trip to the museum of ancient history where the guide had said that back in Ancient Egypt the people used to see the sun setting as a death of one day and the morning would bring a rebirth. He could see it; feel the truth of the words in his very core. The brightness of the sun muted as gentle clouds, like melted marshmallows, floated across it. The highlights that its rays cast on the ocean muted and only pops of coral pink and vermilion showed rippling long the languid motion of the water.

Max found himself almost holding his breath as the sun kissed the horizon causing him to want to shout and clap at the beauty of it all.

It was at that moment that the ocean seemed to take on a glow that rippled across its surface as if the very waves were swaying with gratitude and deep honour.

His whole body seemed to relax. His hand resting on the arm rest moved to the right sliding on top of Haru’s.

The simple contact of hand to hand was so precious that it had him blinking away tears that wanted to gather.

It was simple, beautiful, something denied to them and by them for so long yet now had been allowed.

The clouds swallowed up the sun, now a round ball of vibrant gold casting a warm glow as it sank ever deeper into the horizon.

The air around them dimmed of light yet neither wanted to move or go inside.

Haru turned his hand and their fingers interwove and both released a contented sigh.

Peaceful, beautiful, soul shatter, life altering, that was the essence of the moment.

As the sky took on a deeper pink the water changed from blue to magenta and to finally a shade of violet that was rarely seen with an every now and then coral pop that was breathtaking.

~ I love you ~

Words that passed silently from one lover to another not spoken, yet, screamed within the silence that surrounded them.

The ocean’s violet faded to a pastel dark blue and the last coral pink kisses remained on the horizon. A final marigold flair of the dying sun and then the wind stilled as the ocean’s lapping grew louder. From dark blue to lavender the ocean turned.

From lavender was to a dark sapphire. The sky from corals and marigolds unto smoky blue. The last pop of light began to fade and soon darkness settled.

The lapping still heard but the ocean unseen. You did not need to see it to know it was there. Just as one did not need to see and feel love to know that it was there and hadn’t faded.

Soon the charcoal sky gave way to diamond glitters. As if a blanket of diamonds had been cast over the darkness. The rising moon took its place round and a bright gray with deep silver and dark gray swirls. The moon was so big and bright one could almost reach and touch it.

Still holding hands they watched as the dark ocean bloomed a deep sapphire with waves that foamed white as they crashed against the thirsty sand.

Sparkling silver highlights faired to life before their eyes.

The hours oozed and both had sat there unmoving, holding hands, speaking constantly without saying one word.

Max was the first to move. He lifted their joined hands and kissed Haru’s lightly. Wordlessly both got up and headed to the beach. A walk at night in the cool air just enjoying one another’s company and perhaps a stolen moment of passion to quench their souls inflamed by a fiery desire for one another. Tomorrow they would face together but tonight they would get lost in the night, the stars, the clashing ocean and one another. Two souls now one, two hearts now one, two people now one.

{OFF:}