Building On Something (Hollie)

[Hollie Clarke]

"Ooh," H390 said as he put the radio down in front of her, and she immediately began twiddling the dial, listening intently as it scrolled through the stations. It seemed to be picking up static for the most part, but eventually found some music easy on the ears. She didn't know exactly what it was, or when it was made, but it sort of worked, and was much better than the heavy screaming they'd heard through one of the previous channels. ((Stuff like this.))

O591 asked a good question. Was she good with computers? "I suppose there's only one way to find out." Clambered to her feet, she went over to the panel at the wall. Tapping it once brought it to life, and she began tapping away, adding parameters etc. like it was childs play. The scene around them changed: Ollie's boat was now sitting, the paint dry, in the water beside a pier. Ollie was sitting on the pier with the radio and their mugs of coffee. There were seagulls crowing in the sky, and the sun was beaming down on them, making the highlights in her hair shine. Grinning, she said, "apparently I am."

[somerandomhippie2]

O591 grinned as she picked up the radio and fiddled with it, finding something rather toe-tapping. It had that old, fuzzy radio sound that seemed to fit perfectly with the old equipment. Nodding his head in time with the music cheerily, he watched as H390 got up and fiddled with the control box on the wall.

He started as the ground underneath his feet changed. Suddenly, they were out on a dock, as birds circled above and the wind breezed past his face. He looked up, jaw dropping a little. Not only was she incredibly pretty in the sunlight, but she was brilliant with computers. "That's amazing," he admitted, looking around. "This is perfect. Just right for sailing." Beaming at her, he finished up his coffee, then tucked the radio under his arm. "Coming?" He held out a hand, keeping one foot on the boat so it wouldn't float too far away.

[Hollie Clarke]

H390 felt like bowing for some reason, but managed to resist, disregarding it as a very strange gesture for the moment. "Thank you," she said with a wide smile. Approaching him on the dock, she left her coffee where it was, she didn't need to finish it right now, and it would no doubt disappear once they started sailing. "Of course," she smiled, taking his hand as he helped her onto the boat.

The boat rocked slightly as they walked further onto the deck, but soon became steady. H390 could feel all the little motions of the waves hitting the boat's hull. She could fell that excitement building up inside, like she'd been looking forward to this for a while. "You do know how to sail, yes?" It seemed like a stupid question, but it had to be asked.

[somerandomhippie2]

O591 grinned, and hoisted H390 up onto the deck. "Well, of course," he insisted. "Why else would I have built a sailboat?" He set the radio under the wheel, then grabbed onto a mast. Hoisting himself up, he looked around at the dock. Nice and open, wind heading away. Perfect. "I'm going to tye up some of the sails," he called down to H390. "Do you want to help?" He probably didn't need to make her climb all over the boat, but there wasn't much else to do until that got done. They couldn't sail until the sails were ready, after all. He leaned down, offering his hands. "You don't have to, of course," he added hastily, "But, if you want to..." Sitting up beside her with the view of the sea seemed... He couldn't quite place the word. Something nice, and close, and stuff like that. He'd have to check when he got back.

[Hollie Clarke]

H390 smiled, that had been the answer she was expecting. It was just hard to be sure of anything here, it was almost like they were supposed to know nothing. So, her being able to use computers, and him being able to sail... it wasn't supposed to be right, but it was, it really was. "Silly question," she agreed with a nod. When O591 asked if she wanted to help, she nodded fervently. "You'll have to tell me what to do," she said, not having a clue about any of this at all. Taking his hands, he lifted her up like she weighed nothing. She kept a hold of his hands as she gained her balance, smiling up at him, squinting slightly because of the sun above his head. "Hi," she said, although she wasn't quite sure why. Something inside her made her want to say it.

[somerandomhippie2]

Olle grinned at her. "Not silly, smart," he insisted. "Always good to make sure, right?" She grabbed his hands, and he started. They were warm, and small. Blinking, he pulled himself back, and hoisted her up on the mast beside him. She was rather light. They stood there for a moment, and O591 took the chance to actually look at her. She was very pretty, he had to admit. Not that he knew what his standards for 'pretty' were, but apparently, she fit them. "Hey," he beamed back, his eyes squinting in a combination of the light and the smile. It seemed like an introduction again, like this was the first time they had actually met each other. The real each other, anyways. Then he remembered why they were standing up on a mast. Whoops.

"Oh, it's not really that hard," he told her, letting go of one hand almost regretfully. It was like he was missing it already. "See, the sail's just held here by some simple knots." He showed her one. "The wind's not too strong, so they'll work fine. We just need to check that they'll hold, and part of the sail won't fall off suddenly. Just tug on it, and if it holds, it's fine." He tugged on the cloth, to demonstrate. "Oh," he added with a wicked grin, "I almost forgot. Don't fall off."

[Hollie Clarke]

"Right," H390 grinned in return. True, if he couldn't sail then what was the point in this exercise? But he could, so it was okay. Looking up at him through the sunlight, she couldn't help but smile. This felt momentous to her for reasons she couldn't explain; seeing his golden hair, his blue eyes, the shape of his nose and his jaw, the way he smiled - the wrinkles that formed in the corners of his eyes. Every detail, she committed to memory, just in case. Just in case of what? Her lips parted slightly, and she felt the urge to do something, although she couldn't pin down exactly what. Either way, the feeling passed when he spoke again.

"Sounds simple enough," she agreed with a smile. Pull the knot, if it holds, it's okay. Good. She let out a laugh when he told her not to fall off. "I'll do my best. If I happen to slip though," a sly smile crossed her face, "you're coming with me."

[somerandomhippie2]

O591 felt like he was caught in something. Being pulled in, closer to H390... What was it? Then, she blinked, and it was gone. He was rather sad. His wicked grin returned, though. "Let's hope the port's deep, then," he grinned. "Then we can go for a swim." He put his tongue between his teeth, then hopped over to the secondary mast, and checked the smaller sail.

It seemed natural, standing up here. The wind against his face, the wood underneath his feet, cloth and rope in his hands... It was like he was meant to do this. A face in his mind grinned at him. "Not bad, son, not bad at all." He stared at the sail, trying to keep the matter in front of his eyes simple so he could focus on this. Who was this? A man, scruffy, a bit of a Roman nose against blue eyes and heavy brows... He shook his head. He must have met him somewhere.

"How's it going?" he asked, teetering on the unsteady mast. "She set to sail?" He beamed. Now, this was what he was looking forward to. Actually getting out on the open water. Now, that was real sailing.

[Hollie Clarke]

H390 giggled, beginning her task of testing the ropes so see if the ship was sea worthy. He was right, it was an easy job, especially seeing as all the knots were fine, as far as she could tell. "All good," she said with a grin. Looking back at him, her eyes met his in a soft smile. It looked like this was the sort of stuff he lived and breathed, even if that wasn't possible in the complex like this.

Anyway, he was going to get out on the water now, with her help, and so was she. Sailing. It was something she had always wanted to do, although she knew she never had. "Let's go," she said with a smile, lowering herself down off the mast and back onto the safety of the deck. She watched as he did the same, getting ready to set them off out into the sea. Moving up the front of the boat, she wanted to be standing there when they first set off, to feel the breeze against her face and in her hair.

[somerandomhippie2]

O591 gave her a light grin as she smiled serenely. She looked so happy, like this was where she wanted to be. Well, this was where he wanted to be, in any case. Hopefully, he wanted to be here, with him, too. She eased herself back onto the deck, whist he swung off with ease. His muscles instinctively knew what to do, like he'd been doing this all his life. Maybe he had.

With a grin, he hopped over to the dock, jumping off to untie the boat. "Here we go," he grinned, sitting on the deck and shoving them off. The boat rocked, water lapping against the hull. He grinned, watching as the wind finally tugged the boat along, no longer tied to land. H390 was standing up at the bow, leaning over the edge slightly. He smiled, and went up to the wheel. "Where shall we set our course to, my lovely companion?" he called cheekily. "Shall we just sail, or is there somewhere you had in mind?"

[Hollie Clarke]

This was precisely where she wanted to be. Everthing about this felt right, the boat, O591, them sailing together. It was like a dream come true. Every moment they spent together, she felt more and more like a real person. In the complex, they didn't really allow you to do anything, despite what they said. 'Live out your lives in peace.' In peace? There was a lot more to life H390 felt, there had been a lot more to life, she only had to think of what it was.

The breeze tickled her face and hair and she felt the ship move off, gripping onto something to support herself. There was no falling off, remember? Looking back at him, he'd taken up his position at the wheel. Again, it looked so right. "Anywhere," H390 said, "everywhere." She smiled. She never wanted to leave this simulation if she didn't have to, she wanted to stay here forever with him. "Just sail," she nodded, "please."

[somerandomhippie2]

O591 sighed, for what felt like the first time in a long time. Weird stuff, this time was. He'd felt like he'd lived a whole life like this, standing at the wheel with her gazing out over the front. Her. Why did she pull on his heart like that, how? She was half-way across the deck, little strands of hair wispy in the salty breeze. He shook his head. He'd never understand this, no matter how long he thought he'd lived.

Then she gave him that radiant smile, and he couldn't help but beam back. It poured out of her, he knew. Somehow. "Then sail I will," he reassured her, walking a couple feet to reach under the deck and grab a couple ropes. Tying the wheel in place with a few loose knots, he walked up behind her, plopping his chin on her head again. It fit rather well, actually.

"It's so clear," he marveled quietly, the radio musing softly behind him. "It's... I can't see a thing for miles. We must be on a peninsula or something, it feels like the open sea." He closed his eyes, and relaxed. Now, this was where he was supposed to be. At least, this was where he hoped he was supposed to be. Anything else would let him down, let this perfection down.

[Hollie Clarke]

H390 turned back to the view as O591 walked up to join her, his chin slotting into place on top of her head. They were a perfect fit. She took his hands up in hers gently, pulling them around to her front, holding them in place as she leant her head back against his shoulder, closing her eyes. She wish she knew why she had felt the need to do that, or why he made her heart swell the way it did when he was near. All the tender touches, the closeness she couldn't explain... what was it?

Opening her eyes, she listened to him speak. It was so beautiful out here, the most beautiful thing H390 had ever seen. It didn't matter that this was a simulation, it felt so real to her, so unlike anything she had ever experience before. "It's wonderful," she whispered.

That was when she realised her face was damp, tears trickling from the corners of her eyes down her cheeks and into her hair. Why was she crying? Sniffling, she reached up with her hand to wipe her eyes, but the tears kept spilling out.

[somerandomhippie2]

O591 felt the need to snuggle a little closer as she took his arms and wrapped them around her waist. He gently laced his fingers in with hers, and shifted as she leaned back. It felt so... right. It wasn't really a describable thing. Tilting his head so he could rest his cheek on her hair, he decided it didn't really matter. They were here, they were sailing, and they were happy. Well, at least, he was.

H390 whispered some awed words, and when he looked over, tears here pouring down her face. "Here, now," he mumbled reassuringly, turning his cuff inside out- to get rid of all the sawdust- and gently wiping the water away from her cheeks. "Are those sad waterworks, or happy ones?" Turning her around, he snuggled her close, rubbing her back comfortingly. Weird. He didn't know that was comforting. Wiping a few more tears away, he asked, "Can you talk at all? Or do you not want to?" He bopped her nose.

[Hollie Clarke]

"I don't know," she said, her bottom lip wobbling, "to all the above." What was wrong with her? Here she was, everything was perfect, and yet the moisture on her face told her otherwise. His finger lightly tapped her nose, and in that instant, she felt her brain go into overload. It was almost like all her memories, feelings, everything were dumped into her head at once. Blinking furiously, she had to take a couple of minutes for her brain to process everything with her eyes closed. Then when she opened them again. Hollie realised what had happened.

"Oh my God, Ollie," she said, throwing her arms around him. She remembered his name, who he was, why he was so special to her. Also, she now knew precisely why she was crying. She could see. For the first time in her life everything was visible to her - all these words that she had learned in relation to things suddenly came into being for her. The sea - it was so beautiful and sparkling, the dock, the boat, the colours. And, Ollie. There was so much you could tell by touch but it was nothing in comparison to actually being able to see. She reached up to touch his face, her brain making the link between what her fingers remembered and what she could now see for herself.