Aria wasn't taken aback by his request. She had heard stranger requests that 'feel me hair' in years gone by. It wasn't until she actually reached out and touched a lock of his hair that she reacted. She actually flinched, her hand twitching away from his hair, out of her surprise. She quickly schooled her expression, however, and gently let his hair sit in her hand, touching it with her thumb. "I don't enjoy people touching my hair. Brings up some memories that I'd rather forget, and feels odd. Doesn't it feel strange to you?" She worded the question in a way that anyone, anything, around wouldn't instantly assume his hair was any different than hers. But, truthfully, she was curious. She wanted to know if it was different to him, as his hair was obviously something other than what it seemed. Or meant something. She couldn't tell which. Still, she found it soft and smooth and light. 'Like feathers,' she thought. 'a flightless faerie and a man with feather-hair traveling together.'