Should I be? Freya glanced at him sideways, then stared ahead, deciding not to point out the obvious contradiction to his non-answer. Here in the sunlight, sweat glistened on what little skin he left uncovered – the back of his neck, mostly. Either he didn’t notice or he didn’t care, but Freya did notice. Just as she’d noticed during their training, despite the poor lighting in the building. There, it was a change in the way he smelled more than a visual cue. Not unpleasant, but still, noticeable. And sometimes, perhaps, something she actively looked for. She knew she was challenging him when the scent of sweat through leather permeated the air around her. It was a good sign for both of them, and for what they were doing together.
Best not to mention that, though, or the fact that she knew where his lightsaber was concealed just by the way he was walking. (Hers was in her bag, underneath her exercise clothes.) Cataloguing such details safely in her mind felt natural when they met each other in the Force, but just on the other side of their bond, it felt… intimate. Not the kind of thing one brought up in casual conversation, or consciously noticed about friends in the first place. But then, how could she not notice? During the time they spent together, her focus was entirely on him, through the Force and otherwise. Nothing else really existed but him. All those details were simply parts of a whole, a whole that she was starting to feel like she knew as well as she knew herself, despite still not knowing very much about him at all.
“Differences. Right.” She managed to keep her voice dry even though his explanation was somehow vague and overly dramatic all at once. If it had been anyone else – worryingly, Matt came to mind – she would’ve though they were trying to be funny, but Kyle was nothing if not deadly serious, even now. He meant it. And, apparently, the heat really didn’t bother him.
Must be nice, Freya thought as they crossed the street. She didn’t mind being in the sun, but only as long as the clothes she was wearing didn’t contribute to the heat. London summers weren’t so different from Boston’s; between the high temperatures and thick humidity, wearing light, loose clothes that left as much skin uncovered as a person could get away with was the only way to stay comfortable. Differences or not, all of Kyle’s layers were unfathomable to her.
Still, she didn’t pursue any further explanation. Accepting it and moving on seemed to be the better approach, so instead, she pulled her hair out of its deflating bun and began to redo it as they neared the bookshop. Distracted, she didn’t notice him stepping ahead to hold the door open for her until it already happened.
She froze, hands still maneuvering her hair through the elastic. Then, briefly glancing at him, she finished putting her hair up and walked into the shop without comment, as if this simple display of old-fashioned chivalry wasn’t a surprise. But it was. One that was fairly high on the list of things she never expected him to do, particularly after his distinct lack of manners when he first tracked her down. His behavior had certainly improved since then, but polite wasn't a word she would ever use to describe him. Not outside the nights they fell asleep holding hands, anyway, and even then, "polite" wasn't the right word. "Gentle" was closer.
She wasn’t prepared to be reminded of those nights in this very public context and, startlingly, felt herself begin to blush. Quickly, she ducked her head down and rummaged through her bag, a convenient cover while she waited for him to join her inside. It was only a moment, but that was enough. By the time she found what she was looking for, her cheeks were no redder than they were when they’d been walking outside.
“I have some ideas,” she said without preamble, pulling a short list of books from her bag and looking over it as she spoke, “but maybe you can give me a recommendation? I’m looking for a book I can read in a day. Tomorrow, specifically. I... have trouble with dates.” She glanced up at him, then back down at her list. “These are all mysteries, but I’m open to suggestions.”
Tucking the list into her pocket, she smiled ruefully. “Preferably not stuff in space, though.”