Quantum Entanglement: Howzer and Aurelia

9. Affinity

More weeks passed, and the rooftop tower and the park became irresistible places of respite for both Howzer and Aurelia. It felt like an escape from the disappointments and drudgery of life, and something about the beauty and seclusion made them both feel as though they could let their guards down. There was no expectation from either of them to act or be anything other than their genuine selves. Reli found it a welcome opportunity to release all her expectations and self-criticism about what her life should be like, and Howzer found himself enjoying the short vacations from his restless aspirations.

He still maintained his front otherwise, and Aurelia felt a sense of gratitude that she was privvy to both sides of his character, though she longed for him to see that his swagger was unnecessary. But she was just as guilty of frustration and paralyzing self-condemnation when it came to her own plans and perception of herself. She enjoyed the clones at 79s but felt an increasing pressure to determine her unique place in the galaxy.

The park became their primary getaway from it all, and they found solace in the calm from both the setting and each other. As Howzer slowly revealed layer after layer, Aurelia found herself marveling at his uniqueness and complexity. She had known the clones had individual personalities, but she had assumed that it was relatively limited, considering their somewhat singular purpose for existence. She also noticed, within her own private reflection, an increasing amount of her thoughts centering around him.

They found a little clearing by the edge of the pond that suited them perfectly. Accessible by pushing through two thick bushes, it had three tall trees and one large fallen trunk that all provided a variety of backrests. The thick foliage between the trees hedged it in, making it even quieter than the rest of the park, and the pond stretched out before them, rippling only occasionally when the waterfowl would make an appearance.

Enjoying a rare evening off of work, Aurelia reclined against the log, legs stretched out in front of her, feet crossed. The sun was low, casting a golden glow across the horizon and painting the sky with splashes of orange and yellow. The branches cracked behind her, and Howzer emerged, free from Senator duty for now. He had a datapad tucked under his arm, and he eagerly plopped onto the ground next to her, pulling his helmet off and dropping it to the side.

"Okay, don't laugh at me," he began, tossing his head to get some hair out of his eyes as he pulled the datapad in front of them. He leaned against her side, closer than he had ventured before, and she was struck by his sudden proximity. But there was no time to dwell on it, as he activated the datapad and continued, "So... you talked about poetry the first night we met. And it turns out that paper books are virtually impossible to find, but I found a little something that I thought you would like."

Aurelia looked up at him, surprised to see a slight redness blossoming across his cheeks, and he kept his eyes firmly on the screen. Her heart skipped a beat, startling her, and she forced her attention onto the datapad instead.

"Since when do you look for poetry?" she asked.

"I... uh... I just stumbled across it," Howzer answered, bringing it up on the screen and holding it out to her. Feeling both warmed and emboldened by his own sheepishness, she looked at him again.

"Would you read it to me?"

"Erm," he hesitated, scanning the lines and feeling the heat rising in his face, "No."

She laughed, leaning closer to bend over the screen, "Fair enough." Her eyes found the words:

The galaxy spirals and we strive,
Beating against the current.
A star collapses, a star is born.
Futility fights and purpose pursues.
Within the tension, we exist.
A spark of light in eternity,
Interconnected, inexplicable,
Integral yet insignificant.