Entirely Different

Chapter Twenty Nine : Commander

He would have to abandon his watch over you for the day and return to his quarters to get properly dressed. Once inside the privacy of his quarters, he stripped and prompted the room's control panel to call Cardo. As Kylo was sliding his usual leather pants over his legs, Cardo answered, and his voice rang out in the silence of Kylo's room.

"Cardo, are you near the cafeteria, by chance?" Kylo asked, now showing his feet into his boots.

Cardo cleared his throat. "Uh, no. I'm already training. Why, did you need me?"

The training rooms were too far away from the cafeteria, and while it would take up a little extra time, it would make more sense for Kylo to go himself. Or perhaps he just wanted to see you.

"No. I'd forgotten to alert Knight of training this evening. I'll go myself."

Cardo bit his tongue from mentioning how his master could simply send a message to her data pad, though he surmised Kylo was looking for an excuse to see her in person.

"Alright then, sorry I couldn't be of assistance." Cardo muttered gruffly, in the process of lifting a weight away from his chest.

"Oh, and I won't be attending training. Snoke has requested my company. I'll need you to lead; take them through the routine we'd discussed." Kylo paused to lower his helmet over his head, his next sentence coming out heavily synthesized and steely. "And make sure Knight gets equal spar time."

"Yes, master." Cardo said, sitting the weight back down on the bar and wiping his neck with a towel.

Then, more hesitantly, he said quietly: "You know I'll have to talk to her... if I lead training..."

Kylo swallowed, knowing Cardo hadn't been exactly comfortable giving you the cold shoulder from the beginning, but also being much too obedient to question letting Kylo down. Taking a deep breath and stifling it quietly so that Cardo would not hear, Kylo made a decision. Taking into account how concerned you'd been for your friendship with Cardo and keeping in mind that Cardo hadn't been necessarily good at making the distance seem casual, he decided to let you both breathe a bit.

"Yes, I'm aware..." A beat. "Just forget the conversation we had; you're both free to make your own choices." Kylo was thankful for the helmet's synthesizer.

Cardo swallowed thickly on the other end of the line, not quite sure if this were a test.

"Uhh..." He murmured quietly.

"I have to go. Remember: the routine we discussed." Kylo interrupted.

"Yes, master." Cardo said quickly.

Kylo had been nervous to speak with you in the cafeteria, being that it was the first he'd spoken to you since you'd left his quarters the night before. However, as he turned the corner into the employee area, he was met with a charming picture of you, surrounded by fellow knights and your friend from the hangar. You seemed relaxed, laughing, and smiling, sitting between Ushar and Vicrul. You were so carefree he could easily slip into your head for a split second and he was surprisingly relieved to have seen what he did.

He wasn't sure if the context of your conversation had created the image in your mind or if you'd just let your mind wander there, but in your mind's eye, he saw himself. He was shirtless, skin glistening with what seemed like sweat or seawater, and he was covered in sand. It stuck to his abdomen and forearms, his wet curls dipped in the gritty substance. He had to admit, he looked good in your mind. While he didn't believe he was unattractive, he certainly didn't believe he warranted such a picture in your mind.

She makes me look like a god. Kylo thought as he approached the table.

He was sickly pleased with the dead silence that greeted his arrival. Your eyes seemed to meet his through the mask, he hated how you always seemed to do that.