Kamidana - Part I

Posted on Monday, 15 March 2021 - 12:25pm by Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie & Lieutenant Haru Hernandez

Mission: Operation: Trail of Tears
Location: Haru and Mac's Quarters
Timeline: 2394 MD 10

ON:

Mac entered the quarters he shared with Haru. In and instant he knew that something was wrong. His eyes searched the darkness as he moved around the room. “Lights!”

The flair of the bright white lights lit up the room and revealed the reason for his unease. Haru lay on the floor his hover chair turned over. Gasping Mac slid down by his side. His hand already heading to his communicator to call for medical help. It was Haru’s voice that stopped him.

“I’m alright.” His voice was weak and strained.

Mac stood and helped Haru to the sofa where he sat beside him taking his face in his hands he began to look Haru over for indications of injury. “What were you doing?” He tried to keep the anger and fear from his voice.

“Trying to walk.” Haru said pulling away. “Failing.”

Mac sighed. “Haru, you heard what Doctor Rose said. Give it time, don’t push yourself.”

Haru said nothing but Mac could see the clear frustration in his eyes and he hated to see that. He thought about it a moment. “Listen, I know I’ve been off lately and it’s been busy and everything but I have today off. I wanted to…spend it here with you making our quarters our quarters.”

Haru still said nothing so Mac reached over and took his hand. “Come on Haru, we have to make these our own quarters, there is still so much that needs to be unpacked and set up.”

“And you think I can help with that,” he said bitterly.

Mac sighed and cupped his face in his hands. “I’m trying Kaito,” he said using Haru’s middle name, the name he preferred. “I really am trying.”

Haru looked up, he hesitated and then reached out. “I know, I’m sorry.”

Mac looked up. “I wish I could make things easier for you. I wish I could make you feel at home here, with me.”

“Mac…I…you do make me feel at home. The only time I feel at home is when I’m with you and… I know you are trying but I feel as if I’m not what and who I was before this. I feel like a burden.”

Mac’s eyes widened. “Don’t you ever say that!”

Haru was struck by the anger in Mac’s voice.

“How could you say that? I know that things are difficult now and I know that you are upset and tired and in pain but I also know that I love taking care of you, I love that you are here with me, that I can come home and see you here, that I can wake up and look at you and see that you are here with me.”

Haru’s eyes filled with tears and he pulled Mac closer bringing their foreheads tighter. Their eyes met. “Mac I’m scared. What if the doctor is wrong and I can never be like I was before? What if you get tired of taking care of me? What if…”

“What if? If the doctors are wrong, I will still love you. If you are never what you were before then I will still love you because I know who and what you are inside. You are Haru Kaito the man who completes all that I am and your ability to be an officer, to walk again, to even speak does not change that. I will love you as you are always. In my eyes every detail about you is perfection.”

Haru sighed and closed his eyes. He often found himself, like now, wondering if he deserved Mac. “I love you Maximus.”

Mac smiled. “I know and I return your love.” He cupped Haru’s face and kissed him. “Come on then. Let us make this our home.”

“I could never say no to you.”

Mac, a mischievous gleam in his eye said, “Good, I shall hold you to that later.” He kissed him again quickly and then stood.

Haru grinned as he watched Mac strode to the boxes that were off to the side. He brought a few to the coffee table and they began opening them. Books, clothing, other mementoes that brought back wonderful memories.

They sorted them all and made decisions of where things should go. They worked, ate lunch, talked, it was turning into the best day yet and Haru's mood lifted.

With all the items put away and a list of items they would need made the two settled into the sofa to watch a movie. Before Mac started the replay a silver object caught Haru’s eye. “Mac what’s that?”

Mac followed the point of Haru’s finger and his brow scrunched. “I…didn’t notice that.” He walked over and picked up the data PaDD on the crate. “Oh…it’s that crate that the Admiral had for you.”

Haru raised an eyebrow. He remembered that. While he was on his last ship, the Winchester, he’d received a crate from an admiral he didn’t know who said he was a friend of Haru’s grandmother. “Can you bring that over here?”

Mac gave a nod and lifted the crate. It was not light but not heavy either. He carried it to the sofa, kicked the coffee table out of the way, and placed the square carte by Haru.

Haru sat back staring at it. “I…I suddenly feel afraid to open it.”

Mac smiled. “We’ll do it together.”

Haru gave a nod. They slowly keyed in a code that would open the crate. Haru placed his hand on Mac’s just before he opened the lid. “I..”

“It will be okay.”

Haru gave a nod and Mac removed the lid. The smell of cherry blossoms and incense filled the area, a sent that Haru knew well; a sent that reminded him of his home on Earth, of his grandmother.

His hands shook as he pulled back the paper that covered it and he gasped. There within the crate were several old leather journals and most importantly the one object that he thought lost, the one thing he wanted to keep and that he’d accused his mother and sister of selling. His family Kamidana.

Sensing what he was feeling Mac wrapped his arms around Haru. “Oh my god! She must have sent it to the admiral when she got sick.”

Haru just gave a nod holding onto Mac. His grief over the loss of his grandmother, his happiness over finding the Kamidana overwhelmed him.

“There’s a note,” Mac said.

To be continued...

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