#thrawn fluff

“I was under the impression you thought I look good in everything,” Thrawn drawled, his deep blue lips twitching upwards, a hint of a smile gracing his usually stoic face. 

“Whatever you say…admiral,” you playfully quipped and watched as Thrawn’s lips curve upwards even  more, a tinge of violet flush creeping up his neck. 

You opened your mouth to comment again on his new rank, enjoying the momentary power trip–it wasn’t often you could incite this kind of reaction from your lover, when a soft ding  warned you that the turbolift had reached your floor. You smothered your frown, taking a step off the elevator before stumbling over the silken hem of your gown. A strong hand gripped your elbow to steady you, another reaching around to rest firmly on your waist. Before you could attempt another step, a force abruptly pulled you backwards, your back pressing against Thrawn’s muscled torso. His warm breath caressed your neck as he dipped his head low. “Say it again,” he all but growled, his lips ghosting your neck in a way that sent heat straight to your core. You couldn’t  help the slight arch of your back in response, noting with pure satisfaction the reaction you were garnering from Thrawn. You could feel his hardened arousal through the pristine white dress slacks, and your cunt clenched in response. 

“Well now, love, here’s the thing,” you tease, pressing your backside against his hardened member and relishing Thrawn’s sharp intake of breath in response. “I  don’t take orders from you.” You felt the rumble deep in Thrawn’s chest as he took the bait, his fingers all but slamming the keypad to shut the doors to the turbolift. Confusion flitted across your face, but Thrawn didn’t even hesitate as he forcefully pressed the sequence of buttons necessary to stop the elevator completely. A brief alarm sounded, followed by a robotic voice that was no doubt meant to sound soothing as it reassured passengers that the turbolift had been halted and help would be arriving soon. Understanding began to dawn as Thrawn released his hold on you, and you turned to see two glowing red eyes peering down at you, ravenous. 

“If you don’t take orders from me,”  Thrawn’s voice was low and steady, a hint of that tameless lust just under the surface. “Then please, do tell me, who do you take orders from?” he took a step closer, towering above you with that piercing glare. Reflexively,  you took a step back. Well, tried to–the turbolift door pressed up against you, and you weren’t  sure if  it was the sudden coolness of the durasteel or the heat of Thrawn’s gaze that caused the shiver that shot up your spine. 

“Well, that would be…” you  swallowed hard, wracking your brain for a name, any name. “Umm,”  you attempted to buy yourself time, but you felt as though every coherent thought you’d ever had eddied out of your mind, a ravenous need overtaking your entire body.  All  you could think about is Thrawn and how stars damned good he looked in that fucking uniform. As if reminding yourself, your eyes trailed downward, soaking in every last detail of his new admiral dress whites. Your gaze stopped short upon seeing the evident outline of his arousal and you instinctively bit down on your bottom lip to conceal your moan. 

Thrawn took another step to you, quickly closing the small distance between you two. You felt his firm grip on your chin, forcing your head to tilt up and meet his gaze. Passion burned in his gaze and you felt the last of your resolve melting away. Fuck being witty right now, you thought to yourself, I need this. As if Thrawn read your mind, his lips crashed against yours and your entire body ignited with need. Your fingers tangled in his blue-black locks and every inch of your body pressed up against him. Thrawn’s hands gracefully slid down your hips, cupping the upper back of your thighs. You took the sign for what it was, giving a little jump as he lifted you up and you wrapped your legs around his waist. He didn’t even break the kiss, just pressed  your back against the doors of the  elevator, grinding his erection into your core. The friction was practically electric and you couldn’t help the moan that escapes your lips as you break the kiss. You leaned your head against  the  frame and Thrawn’s lips moved to your newly exposed neck, sucking and nipping the sensitive flesh. He took the thin strap of your gown between his teeth and  before you could so much as utter a warning, he ripped it straight from the gown. Without its integral support, the delicate satin of the bust fell down, exposing one of your breasts. 

“Stars damn it,Thrawn, that was expensive,” you chastised halfheartedly, your chest rapidly rising and falling as Thrawn once again ground into you. As if  in apology, Thrawn peppered kisses across your exposed breast before taking your nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. Your complaints died in your throat as your body became alight with pleasure. As he continued his ministrations, he pinned you against the wall with his body, freeing one hand to gently slide your remaining strap down your arm, exposing the other breast in a manner completely opposite to its torn counterpart. Thrawn switched his attention to the other breast, gingerly taking your other nipple into his mouth. He took a moment to adjust your position against the elevator, one hand cupping your ass as the other hand slid between your bodies. For  the  second time that night you heard Thrawn’s sharp intake of breath as he brushed your bare self. 

“Are you really telling me you didn’t wear underwear to such a formal event?” he breathed out,  barely concealing his moan at finding you bare and ready for him. “Stars sake,” he breathed out, “you are so wet for me.”

You couldn’t help but let out a slight breathy laugh. “I told you I like the uniform,” you panted before your sassy remarks were replaced by cries of pleasure as two of Thrawn’s fingers plunged into your aching cunt. 

His name fell from your lips like a prayer. 

Thrawn. Thrawn. Thrawn. 

Your body was lost in the passion, his lips on your breasts, his fingers curling towards himself, hitting that spot that makes you see fucking stars. He’s relentless, devouring you–mind,body, and soul.  Before you knew it, you were on the brink of pure bliss. “Thrawn,”  you gasped, “I’m going to come,” you warned, though you knew it wasn’t necessary. Knowing Thrawn and all your years together, he knows exactly when you’re on the edge just as well as he knows exactly how to pleasure you to get you there. He is as in tune with your moans and sighs of pleasure as he is with his own heartbeat. 

His fingers picked up the pace, his thumb rubbing tight circles on your clit. “Come for me, ch’eo ch’acah,” Thrawn purred in your ear, and the low timbre of his voice combined with the heat of his words had you tumbling over the edge of pleasure, his name on your lips as stars crossed your vision. 

You slowly drifted back to reality as Thrawn pressed soft kisses across your chest, trailing up your neck and back to your lips. He set you down on shaky legs, supporting you with his strong grip. 

Having finally caught your breath, you took a second to take stock of the sight before you: Thrawn’s dark hair, once perfectly styled, now a mess, the ironed jacket now crumpled and partially undone, and worse of all, the pristine white pants now clearly soaked through with a mix of  his precum and your juices. The sight had your mouth watering. You fell to your knees before the admiral, hands reaching up to unfasten his belt. It fell to the floor with a satisfying clank, but you  didn’t even flinch.Your tongue darted out to wet your bottom lip as you oh-so-slowly began to free Thrawn’s cock. 

A low hiss escaped Thrawn’s lips as you took his bulging member into your hand. Your hand glided across the blue surface, eyes drinking in the veritable feast before you. No matter how many times you had been with Thrawn, his size always took you by surprise. The length, the girth, the thick veins covering the surface. Your attention shifted to the deep purple head, your  thumb swiping a bead of precum from the tip. Thrawn’s gasp  only  encouraged you to lean forward and take the tip into your mouth, his fingers instantly tangling in your hair. Your mouth slid down his length, struggling to take as much of him in as you could. You used your hand to take whatever can’t fit in your mouth, and your mouth and hand worked in tandem to pleasure him. Thrawn’s quiet moans and growls of pleasure only spurred you on, and you worked to take more of him in your mouth. Only once the head of his cock hit the back of your throat did you stop, looking up at him with tears in your eyes. His glowing gaze peered down at you, his lips ajar as he panted with need. 

The sight of you, on your knees before him, looking up at him from under your dark lashes,  his cock resting in your mouth–it almost sent him over the edge. It took everything he had to pull himself out of your mouth. You sat on your knees, looking up at him as he closed his  eyes and took a few deep breaths to steady himself. A brief moment of uncertainty flashed across your face,  “Was it…not good for…” you trailed off, slightly confused why he stopped you. You weren’t one to brag, but you certainly hadn’t had any complaints before. Before you could even finish the sentence, Thrawn pressed a finger to your lips. “You’re perfect,” he breathed out. “I wasn’t going to last like that,” he finished, a small smile at the edge of his lips as he helped lift you to your feet. “And I’m not done with you,” he growled as his lips crashed against yours once more, but this time there was even more urgency in his kiss. He pressed your back against the elevator wall, sliding the skirt of your dress up your hips so he could lift you up again. Your legs wrapped around his waist, causing his throbbing member to brush up against your soaking wet cunt. Biting back a groan, Thrawn repositioned his hips to line up with your entrance.  With a growl, he slid home, your earlier  orgasm  helping his cock slide in with ease. You can feel and hear the groan deep in Thrawn’s throat as he bottoms out, the head of his cock brushing against your cervix. 

Thrawn’s forehead dipped to touch yours, his unsteady breathing matching yours. His hips froze as he waited for you to adjust. You waited  a few beats,relishing the delicious stretch, before you gave a nod of approval. Supporting you with his hands, he pulled out, all the way to the  tip, before slamming home. Your head fell back to the durasteel wall as you gasped in pleasure. Thrawn continued  the action, hips colliding with yours,  every thrust sent a wave of pleasure through you. Your moans got louder, joining in the symphony of your bodies slapping against one another, the soft beat of your body against the cold wall of the turbolift as thrawn railed into you. It was too much. Every thrust pushed you closer to the edge, and you didn’t think  you could take much  more. “Yes,” you cred out,  “Yes, Fuck me, admiral,” you pant out, extra emphasis placed on his title. Thrawn’s hips  stutted at hearing  that word on  your  lips  once more . With a growl he  slammed into you even harder. “Again,” his voice so low it sent a shiver straight to your cunt. 

“Please,” you begged, as his hips pistoned in handout of you with abandon, veritably nailing you to the wall with his cock. He hit that delicious spot deep within you and every thrust pulled  you closer and closer to  bliss.  “Admiral,” you cried out before biting Thrawn’s shoulder as your orgasm crests, washing over you in endless waves of pleasure. You bit down harder than intended, but you don’t have time to regret it, not as Thrawn loses all semblance of control, thrusting into you with abandon. He  thrust into you once, twice, and a final time as he came with a roar of pleasure and his hips stuttered as he flooded you with his come. 

Your breaths were ragged, foreheads pressed against each other, feeling every twitch of  his cock deep inside you. After a few beats,  Thrawn withdrew, gently lowering you to the ground on legs that felt less than stable. He made sure to tuck himself back into his uniform and  adjust the remaining strap  on your dress. You kept your grip on him, balancing yourself, as you felt his hot seed start to drip down your leg. An attempted step forward proved to be too much in your addled state, your leg threatening collapse as soon as you tried to step away from Thrawn. Without a word, Thrawn scooped you up into his arms, deftly typing another code into the keypad. The turbolift gave a small jolt back to life, and you found yourself thankful that Thrawn was holding onto you so tightly. Like nothing happened, Thrawn stepped  off the lift and crossed you over to your home.

You dozed in and out of consciousness in your blissed-out, post-orgasmic state, but came to as Thrawn gingerly laid you on the bed. He  helped slide you out of your dress, and you made a mental note to berate him in the morning for ruining your dress, already mapping out when he would take you shopping for its replacement. You watched in silence as Thrawn disassembled his uniform and set it out almost reverently before crawling into bed next to you. Rolling onto your side, you laid your head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. “I am so  proud of you, Admiral Thrawn,” you murmured. His hand trailed slow,  lazy circles  over  your arm and down your back, pulling you closer into him. “Everything I do is for you,” Thrawn replied, his voice barely  above a whisper. He pressed his lips to the top of  your head, “Ch'ah ch'acah vah.”

___

You giggled a little, the red and yellow paint surely had gotten in your hair by now. You held your wine as steadily as you could while spreading the myriad of colors out with your hands. Your minimal white clothes were already completely saturated with color both fresh and dried from previous finger painting sessions. The protective film crinkled a little as you moved back to admire your messy, but beautiful, work. The large canvas before you was almost done in all of its many chaotically vibrant hues.

"I guessed I'd find you here."

The smooth cadence of Thrawn's voice behind you made you jump a little and you turned with excitement to greet him. "I'm glad you did!" You gestured to your work. "What do you think? Would you be able to deduce how to defeat me in battle from this?"

Thrawn looked over your shoulder to the colorful canvas, lingering with his tall frame against the doorway. A small smile curved his lips as he tilted his head, considering. "Only if said battle had strict cleanliness guidelines."

You laughed brightly and his smile grew at the sound.

"You should join me! It's quite relaxing, gets rid of stress." You paused, glancing over his immaculate uniform pointedly. "Leave that outside though."

"Do I appear stressed?" Thrawn asked but began removing his outer uniform anyway until he was down to his black training clothes.

"You never appear to have much emotion...but I know better by now." You spoke softly as he approached you, his movements calculated and purposeful as ever as he took your paint-stained hand and placed a gentle kiss to the inside of your wrist.

"Do you indeed?"

"Mhm." You gave a little sound of contented happiness at the feeling of his warm skin beneath your fingers as you touched Thrawn's face. A streak of red paint smudged across his cheek from your touch and you couldn't help but giggle a little. "Oh stars, I am sorry it seems I forgot just how messy I am currently."

Thrawn touched the wet paint on his face and withdrew his hand, studying it upon his fingers, his glowing gaze fixated on you once more, his smile still serene. "No matter. I predict such is only the beginning."

You sipped your wine and motioned for him to sit with you upon the tarp, dragging your paints closer so they were with reach. "I've run out of canvas anyway." You looked him over, your lips twitching. "And I can't think of a lovelier substitute."

Thrawn acquiesced, he rarely denied you anything these days, since you'd become romantically involved with the Chiss. It was common for most to view Thrawn as emotionless and a little cold, but that was not the case when the two of you were alone together.

You reached forward and began lifting his black tank top up, giving him a questioning look. When he nodded, you fluidly removed the garment and tossed it to a safe paint-clear space on the floor. You paused a moment to take in the beauty of the man sitting next to you, the shades of his blue skin shifting under the fluorescent light of your studio.

Thrawn's eyes were upon your face, his expression reminded you of the phrase "the cat who got the cream" and heat flushed to your cheeks.

"Continue." Thrawn prompted silkily, his tone barely more than a purr.

You shivered a little, your own eyes meeting his briefly, knowing he could read you backwards and forwards like a well-loved book. Your fingers dipped into the cold paint, choosing a dark crimson shade at first because you couldn't resist the color matching Thrawn's eyes.

"Hold still." You instructed, a little needlessly because Thrawn was still as a statue while you moved closer. You could feel his breath on your face and had to clear your head with a little shake.

"You appear somewhat distracted, my darling." Thrawn chuckled at your blushing reaction and took your own hand, extending your arm and dipping into his own choice of paint. You glanced down, he'd chosen a crisp yellow.

"I'm perfectly cognizant, just had a little wine." You defended, narrowing your eyes at him in a teasing glare. His gaze however was focused on his own work now as he began spreading the paint over your bare arm in swirling patterns that almost tickled.

You in turn began your own body art at his shoulder, tracing the contours of his muscles with the deep red and filling the lines at your leisure with grey and white hues. The distracting sensation of Thrawn brushing against your skin sent pleasant chills down your spine and your movements faltered as you closed your eyes a moment to enjoy it.

"You are quite skilled." Thrawn murmured and you opened your eyes to see him appraising his shoulder and arm with a satisfied expression. "Your color theory is a rare talent."

You leaned forward, taking the opportunity to place a sneaky kiss to his jaw. Thrawn's hand instinctively snaked around your torso, under your shirt at your back and pulled you closer as he turned his mouth to meet yours. You felt the cold paint smear against your skin but heeded it not, Thrawn's lips were fiery against your skin as he trailed small kisses down to your throat.

Your hand found its way to the back of his neck, leaving a wake of red paint against his cerulean skin.

"As I predicted." Thrawn pecked a kiss to the tip of your nose before measuring your expression with pride. "Much more of a mess."

"Your brilliance knows no bounds." You snarked, yelping a little as Thrawn took his revenge by adding more cold paint to your abdomnen, though the heat of his hands soon overtook it.

He bent you backwards with the force of his sudden kiss, his movements swift and exact as he moved over your now prone body. Somewhere in the haze and tangled limbs the paint cups got knocked over and you could see the colors pooling around you in your periphery. Thrawn nibbled on your bottom lip and helped you remove your own shirt, the bare skin of your back pressing into the spilled paint.

“oh fuck.”

beside you, there’s the ruffling of sheets, a whoosh of air enveloping your face as you feel his presence drift away from your side.

“what’s wrong?”

for a moment, you’re so exhausted you’re unsure if the words even came out.

yet, he heard them.

they were a slurred, nearly incomprehensible set of words, but he heard them.

“running a bit late, love.”

the answer is cordial, yet in your half-asleep state, you know he meant well. a man so precise, so diligent with his time was rarely late. if ever.

especially a man of his status.

as he clambers around the space, rushing to get everything in order, you finally open your eyes, choking on a giggle as you witness him shoving a foot into a boot, cursing under his breath.

“thrawn,” you murmur, propping yourself up with an elbow, “my love, can i have your attention for just a moment?”

in the dim light, his eyes nearly glow, softening as they meet yours.

“yes, my love?”

“if you’re going to be late, you may as well take your time. so i suggest you come over here, park your ass here for a moment.”

“hmm,” he hums, straightening his regalia, “what a tempting offer.”

“you know you’d never leave without one kiss.”

scoffing slightly, he shakes his head, “i’m not sure where that notion came from.”

yet, he strolls over, settling on the edge of the mattress. without warning, you spring forward, wrapping your arms around his frame. he stiffens, but relaxes as your lips meet his cheek, pressing light kisses down his jawline.

he was going to show up with a few creases in his uniform, but he didn’t mind. this was much needed.

he would never admit it, but he savors your embrace every time. he relishes in the warmth your body emits, and the way you love him. it’s gentle but affirming, inviting and oh so blissful.

he could stay there, forever in your arms.

tucking a few strands of hair behind his ear, you muzzle into the crook of his neck, “please, just a few more minutes.”

well, you were right. he was already running late.

a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.

Che’ri starred out of the viewport of the ship.

Stars, planets, moons… It was all the same to her. As long as she could remember she had seen the lights of space. All of her momishes had claimed that space was beautiful, that the abyss was terrifying, that it was a spectacular sight she should appreciate and cherish every chance she got.

The girl yawned, unimpressed by the panorama.

It had been weeks since she and Thrawn had gotten here. Senior Captain Thrawn had asked her to go on a mission to lesser space. And she had been terrified and excited to go on a real mission without a warship.

But now all it turned out to be a lot of sitting and waiting. Where was her promised mission? Where was the action? The only thing she had gotten so far were reading tasks, flight lessons and a new set of color markers to draw with.

She leaned back in the pilot's chair, her feet dangling from the height. It was Che’ri’s task to watch the cockpit while the senior captain worked out. It was supposed to teach her something like patience. But it felt like a pointless chore considering that they just could use the autopilot. A very adult chore. A very boring chore.

The door to the little room hissed open and senior Captain Thrawn strode in.

“Good evening, navigator Che’ri.”, he greeted formally as if they hadn’t constantly seen each other the past weeks.

“Hello” she called back.

“Thank you for doing guard duty and allowing me to attend to my other duties.” Thrawn continued as he sat down in the co-pilot's seat.

“It’s okay.”, Che’ri said, “I don’t mind. It’s no difference if I sit here or somewhere else on the ship.”

The senior captain eyed her thoughtfully. It was one of those gazes most adults used on her before saying something like ‘go to bed’ or ‘sit up straight’ or ‘watch your tongue, young navigator’. But the senior captain just looked at her as if he needed to solve a particularly hard math question before opening his mouth.

“You are bored.”

She shrugged and turned to the viewport again. Boredom was a constant. She was used to it.

“Would you like to hear a story to pass the time, navigator Che’ri?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t want any more reading exercises. I already did mine for today.”

“Pardon, I misspoke ” The captain continued “I mean would you like to be told a story? I liked to listen to stories when I was a youngling. Maybe that would elevate your boredom?”

Che’ri’s head whipped around in surprise.

A story?

The momishes hardly ever read her tales and even Thalias was so busy that she only managed once to sit down for a bedtime story.

Her head spun at the prospect of getting entertained by the senior captain like that. And it downright spiraled at the thought of a past senior captain Thrawn youngling. Che’ri could not imagine the adult man before her being a child at all.

But she could imagine him as a storyteller.

Enthusiastically she nodded.

“Alright, navigator. Grab yourself some light cocoa and wait for me in the lounge. Let me just check the instruments and engage the autopilot beforehand.”

Che’ri jumped off the seat and fought the urge to run through the ship.

“That’s not proper behavior for a navigator” she remembered one of the especially preachy momishes. A strange instruction now that Che’ri considered it. She wouldn’t be a navigator forever and yet she hardly saw any of the adults and not-navigators run on ship. Still, better to stick with that instead of compromising the chance of getting the promised story.

In the kitchen she pushed one of the magnetized stools to the cabinet to climb up and get the powdered cocoa for kids. The senior captain had packed the treat just for her. It was a lighter sweeter version of the bitter cocoa leaves the adults used for their drinks. The colorful package with birds on it and lot’s of kids smiling at her as if inviting her to play with them. She would never do such a thing. Not unless she stopped being a navigator.

The thought both terrified and pleased her.

Quickly, she climbed back down, got herself a cup, stirred the powder in - a bit more than necessary to make it extra sweet - and got hot water from the dispenser machine before strolling to the lounge.

Thrawn was already there. Sitting on one of the couches. No questis in hand. How was he supposed to read the story out to her?

Unsure she took a seat.

Was this another lesson instead? Not a tale?

“Are you sitting comfortably?”, the captain asked.

She shuffled a bit around and placed the hot drink on the table before her and nodded.

“Alright, let me tell you my favorite story when I was a child.”

“You were a child once?”, Che’ri asked, surprised by her own boldness. That’s it, she had lost her chance to get a story for being so audacious.

Thrawn’s eyes twinkled with humor instead of anger for her interruption like most of the adults had done.

“Yes. I was a child once too”, he replied.

“When was that?”

“Not as long ago as you might think”, The unspoken laughter resonating in his words, “For me those childhood memories on Naporar are but a blink away even if that was decades ago. It might not make sense to you right now but one day you might think about this moment and understand. Shall we continue?”

“Yes.” Che’ri said, not understanding what the old man ment but eased by Thrawn's reaction.

"Alright. Interrupt me about anything you don’t understand. Until then lean back and close your eyes if you want. Let’s see…” Thrawn's voice became the only thing she thought about as she closed her eyes. He really was about to tell her a story! By himself! 

“There once was a little girl who lived with her blood family in a forest. She-”

“What’s a forest, captain?”, Che’ri squeaked, unhappy about having to interrupt so soon.

He paused.

“Do you know what a tree is?”

“Yes. I have seen one in the atmosphere chamber of the springhawk. It’s a small little thing with a hard stem and lilac soft things growing on its top.”

“Yes, now imagine this tree tall like the ship.”

She tried.

“And now imagine many more of those tall trees growing together in one area, spanning over your head with their branches and moving with the wind. Animals live there too. Like the ones described in your reading exercise. Birds live up in the branches and build their nests there. Ground lions dig little hollows to sleep between the tree's roots. And night dragons stalk prey through the thick lush leaves and stems.”

Che’ri tried to see it all before her like she saw with third eye. It sounded magical, beautiful and terrifying. Like space.

“Our story is about a girl like you, living in a forest like that.” Thrawn continued, “One day she is asked to bring her elder some fresh black cheese bites and a bottle of cromas nectar. She packs her bag and leaves the house to walk through the forest to the elders house.”

“On her own?”, Che’ri wonders out loud. She could not remember being alone anywhere outside. Everytime she had been, it was just short stops on military fields or space ports with a momish or officer around.

“Yes, on her own.” Thrawn assures. “Remember, she is a girl like you capable of going on missions. She is careful and clever. Her family trusts her with the task.”

Thrawn pauses before continuing.

“So the girl takes her bag with the foodstuff, grabs her velvet coat against the cold - the forest is cold and soon the first snows will fall - and leaves the house.”

Che’ri nodds. She knows of snow, she has seen snow covered Csilla from space.

“As she walks the road through the forest, she sees flowers and leaves the road to pick them for her elder. Her caretakers had told her not to leave the road to stay safe. But the girl forgot. And those pretty flowers are so distracting. So she walks off the road.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes, Che’ri. As the little girl walks off the road, deep into the forest to collect her flowers, a night dragon appears.”

She gasped. She had seen pictures of night dragons. Terrifying big creatures with claws, teeth and dark furr to stalk for prey through the cold csilla night.

“The night dragon spotts the girl and thinks to itself ‘what a delicious little girl I could eat. But she has a bag with food with her. I can smell it. Maybe she can lead me to more prey.’ And so he steps out of the shadows of the trees and calls out to the girl ‘hey, girl where are you going to?’”

“Night dragons can talk?”, Che’ri inquires. Maybe she hadn’t read the right text yet to know about that.

“Only in stories.” Thrawn explains. “So the night dragon asks her where she goes and the girl answers him for she had never any reason not to trust anyone ‘To my elder deep in the forest right next to the 3 big trees just a click away from here to bring her black cheese bites and cromas nectar. The elder is sick and I’m bringing her treats so she can get well soon again’.”

“Why is she telling the night dragon about that? That’s dangerous!”, Che'ri cries out while unconsciously grabbing a pillow to hold onto. She opens her eyes and looks at Thrawn. “This is a scary story! My momishes never told me that one.”

The captain smiles mysteriously.

“Don’t worry, Che’ri. The girl is a girl like you. I would never allow you or a girl like you to be hurt. Not even in my stories. Patience.”

Che’ri squeezed the pillow in her arms before leaning back again and closing her eyes.

“Go on.” she ordered impatiently before adding a more appropriate, “Please, captain.”

“The night dragon is very happy about the news. ‘Perfect. A helpless elder AND a little girl I can eat’, he thinks to himself, ‘I will have the elder first and then finish with the sweet meat of the girl later’. And so he leaves the little girl and runs to the house of the elder. There, he knocks at the door and enters the house where he finds the sick elder and devours the sick elder in one piece.”

Thrawn pauses as if expecting Che’ri to object before continuing with a deep and dramatic voice. She squeezed her pillow expectantly, holding her breath.

“Meanwhile the little girl had collected all the flowers she needed and made her way to the house of the elder. There, she found the door open. She called into the house for her elder and a strange voice answered her. Confused, the girl stepped into the house and found her elder in the sickbed. But it was a strange sight. ‘Elder, dear elder,’ the trustful girl cried, ‘It’s good to see you. But tell me elder, why do you have such big ears?’”

Che’ri squeezed her pillow.

“‘It’s so I can hear better, young one.’”

Che’ri opened her eyes and sat up expectantly.

“‘Elder, dear elder, why do you have such big eyes?”

Che’ri opened her mouth in protest only to keep silent.

“‘So I can see you better, young one.’”

Che’ri narrowed her eyes at Thrawn.

“‘Elder, dear elder, Why do you have such big teeth?’”

Thrawn’s voice rose to the growl of the night dragon: “‘It’s so I can eat-”

“NOOOOOO!”

Che’ri jumped up from her seat, nearly knocking over the cup in front of her.

“NO!”, she repeated, “It’s the night dragon and it’s about to eat her! She is supposed to be cleverer than this!”

Thrawn grinned at her as if he had asked her a trick question she had failed to recognize it.

“As the night dragon rose from the sickbed of the elder, dressed in the elders clothes and costumed like a chiss, the clever girl threw her bag at the night dragon right into his face and ran out of the house. She had seen through the night dragons schemes”, the captain finished with a triumphant voice.

“What?!”

“Of course the girl recognized the camouflaged enemy. What did you think would happen to her?”

“Oh.”

Che’ri sat down on the couch again, all the tension leaving her body, before grabbing her cup and sipping at her drink.

“Alright, captain. But that can’t be the end of the story, right?”

“Right. Are you ready for me to continue?”

Che’ri grimaced before putting her cup down again and leaning back while grabbing her pillow to hold.

“The girl escaped the terrifying night dragon”, Thrawn’s voice was now light and excited as if he too ran down the forest road, “‘Oh no, I trusted a stranger and told the night dragon about the elder and now I need to find a way to save her.’ the girl thought to herself as she ran through the forest.”

“The girl shouldn’t have told the night dragon about the vulnerable elder from the beginning.”, Che’ri judged bitterly.

“Yes, she made a mistake but those things can happen. It’s fine. And she never had reason to question someone's motives before. Most people are kind.”

Che’ri huffed but stayed silent.

“The girl ran and ran in the hopes of finding help for her elder. And help she found. A hunter crossed paths with her. Quickly she told him about the night dragon who ate her elder and the hunter agreed to help. Together the girl and the hunter traveled to the house of the elder in the hopes of finding the night dragon there.”

“The night dragon would be an idiot to stay on scene after the girl escaped.”, commented Che’ri drily.

“The night dragon was deep asleep and snoring with his full belly in the elders bed”, Thrawn continued.

“The night dragon isn’t too clever either.”

Thrawn paused. “You will make a fine tactician one day, Che’ri. Those were my thoughts as a kid too. Anyway-”

Che’ri didn’t dare to answer. It was too big of a thought to consider she could be someone like Thrawn one day. Someone as clever who could command a ship and know so many things like forest and fairy tales. Silently, she listened as the captain finished.

“-the girl and the hunter find the night dragon in deep slumber. They decide to cut open the night dragon to rescue the elder from the beast's belly as the night dragon swallowed the elder in one bite. Quickly, the hunter takes a scissor to cut the dragon and the elder emerges from the beast's guts. To teach the night dragon a lesson the little girl grabs a few stones from the outside, places them in the night dragon’s belly before sewing the beast back together. Then the hunter, the elder and the girl wait and as the night dragon wakes up from its digestive sleep. Scared from the hunter it tries to run away from the armed hunter. But the stones in the beast's belly slow the dragon down and so finally the night dragon is killed and punished for its crimes. The end.”

Che’ri sits up and puts away her pillow.

“Did they really tell you that as a kid?”

“They did.”, the captain’s voice sounds surprised. As if he had told her the most normal thing and she had refused to believe it.

For a moment they sat in silence. Che’ri listened to the humming of the ship's machines and sipped her now mildly warm cup of sweetened cocoa, thinking about the story.

“Was it too scary?”, the captain broke the quiet with a carefully inquiring voice.

She considered it. It was the bloodiest, weirdest story she had ever been told. But she hadn’t felt scared. Outraged maybe by the confusing actions of the well-meaning girl and the hungry night dragon. But Thrawn had assured her that in his stories little girls were fine and safe. And he listened to all her questions and comments without getting annoyed. So no, she hadn’t been scared. And she wanted more stories like that. She wanted the captain to keep telling her about things she didn’t know of yet.

“No”, she answered, “Can I have another one please?”

Thrawn smiled.

You sat with the other members of the Chimaera crew around the intercom table, your uniform doing very little to keep out the chill seeping into your tired bones. It was too early in the morning to function properly, you were sure your own face reflected the exhaustion you saw in the people sat around you. Well, all faces save for that of your commanding officer. Thrawn's face was devoid of any signs of fatigue, though his expression looked mildly bemused as his red eyes scanned his crew's slack positions.

To your left Commander Faro poured herself a generous amount of steaming caf into a white mug. The cozy smell of it filled the room with a little more life.

After a moment where the Grand Admiral allowed you all to adjust to alertness, he spoke. "I've summoned you this morning so we may continue addressing the Mynock infestation troubling supply lines."

It took everything in you to suppress a groan, the Chimaera and her crew had been trying with no success to rid the fuel chain of the wire-chewing pests. Something in your body language must have shifted enough to draw your Admiral's attention because Thrawn shifted his gaze to you. "What is your opinion?" His voice was smooth and low as it usually was, but he clasped his hands behind his back while waiting for your answer.

You had joined the Chimaera's crew several years ago and had proven to be a competent addition to the team, so much so that Grand Admiral Thrawn had specifically requested you stay on with him even after you'd been offered a position on a different Imperial Star Destroyer.

You met Thrawn's gaze with sudden alertness and confidence, straightening your posture and explaining what you thought to be the best next steps in addressing the Mynock issue. Thrawn nodded at your words, his expression unchanging though you noticed his lips lift slightly in a slight smile as you continued.

One of many things that set your commanding officer apart from all the others in the Imperial Navy was his habit of asking his crew and others who would be considered subordinates what they thought of any given circumstance. He valued the input of others, not a sentiment shared in any other circles that you knew of. This played a large part in why Thrawn's crew felt so loyal to him.

"Perhaps if all else fails we could even try sending out individual TIE fighters against the beasts?" You glanced around at your peers as you finished speaking, looking for anyone else to give their thoughts.

Lieutenant Roz, an experienced officer aboard the Chimaera, snorted a little derisively, his eyes still a little red from sleep deprivation. "And who's going to fly those fighters? I've told you several times already we don't have pilots yet available. I do speak not just to hear my own voice you know."

All eyes flicked back to your face as you flushed, your brow furrowing as you tried to recall that conversation. Lieutenant Roz had taught you many things but you were almost positive he'd never mentioned lack of TIE fighters. You doubted yourself just enough to remain in an embarrassed silence, however. Your eyes flickered over to where Thrawn stood. He didn't look pleased.

You cleared your throat a little awkwardly. "With respect Lieutenant, I don't recall such a conversation taking place."

Roz shot you a stern look. "That speaks to your own incompetence, not my own."

"That is quite enough, Lieutenant." Thrawn's voice was unchanging in its calm cadence, but there was an edge to his words that caused Roz to glance down at his hands upon the table a little bashfully.

You had retreated into yourself at Roz's last comment, your hands folding tightly on your lap as you tried to school your expression into a mask of emotionless politeness. Perhaps it was due to the early hour but his words had stung, especially as they weren't true. He hadn't actually told you anything of the sort yet just made you look like a fool in front of everyone.

Thrawn thanked you smoothly for your input and moved on to asking Commander Faro for any additional information. You hardly heard them however, your ears seemed to be ringing as you fought with your emotions, your lips pressing together as you pretended to drink from your own mug of caf in order to hide your face as you blinked rapidly.

The rest of your crewmates woke up more as the meeting went on past the hour mark and they spoke up and shared their own ideas and calculations but you remained silent. When the meeting adjourned and Thrawn dismissed you back to your stations you hadn't said a word or really looked up from the space of table occupied by your now empty cup.

You rose to stand slower than the others and packed away your papers before departing the room. You felt the Grand Admiral's eyes on your back all the way out the door, though you didn't look around to meet them.

Your feet took you automatically to the washroom where you splashed some cold water on your face, trying to shake this mood off. When you looked into the mirror even you were shocked with how sad your expression was. Definitely something you'd have to work on, being able to mask your emotions better. Especially with an Admiral as perceptive as Thrawn.

You sighed heavily and exited the washroom, taking a moment to pause in the dark hallway, peering out the window into the vast beautiful star scape.

"I value your input, Ensign."

You jumped a little at Thrawn's unexpected voice and turned to face him. His eyes seemed to be fixed very intently upon your face as he spoke. "Do not allow the blunders of others to limit your own voice."

You straightened and gave Thrawn a little smile. "Yes, sir." You sighed a little allowing vulnerability to show. "It was early and what was said probably affected me more than it should have."

Thrawn nodded slowly. "I must admit, the sleep patterns of humans is still a little foreign to me. Your bodies must rest far longer than I am used to." He paused, studying your face a moment, his hand going up to touch his chin thoughtfully. "You did bring up a point I was going to make myself."

Your eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "You were?"

"Indeed." A small smile touched the corner of Thrawn's eyes. "This may be the perfect opportunity to test my new TIE defenders and their maneuverability."

"But Lieutenant Roz said we don't have pilots." You couldn't help yourself from adding. "Look at that. I remembered."

Thrawn's lips twitched as though he were suppressing a smile, his eyes softening on your face. "Well done, Ensign. The matter of acquiring pilots should be an easy one to resolve." He seemed to think for a moment. "I will have you dispatch a request for three to be sent to the Chimaera posthaste."

You gave him a salute. "Yes, Grand Admiral."

"If I may add a few last words." Thrawn drew a little nearer, his tall stature causing you to tilt your chin up to see his face. "So long as you are striving to learn and improve upon yourself, that is enough for me. Do not hold yourself to an impossible standard of perfection nor allow others to influence your opinion of yourself." His eyes seemed to glow a little brighter as he placed a warm hand upon your shoulder. "And come to me first if anyone continues to be unduly impatient with you."

Your mouth was very dry as his hand rested on your shoulder, it's weight both a comfort and a little intimidating. He seemed to care a great deal about this predicament and your emotional state, it almost was as if he had his own personal experience dealing with such people.

After a moment of looking into each other's eyes, you nodded again at Thrawn, a small smile of gratitude softening your features. "Thank you."

You leaned your head against Thrawn’s chest, listening to the rain thrumming against the roof.  Your legs rested across his lap, his arm snugly holding them against his warm body as he read to you.  His voice was soft, almost hypnotic, lulling your mind into a comfortable haze.  

“My dear, are you still paying attention?”  Thrawn squeezed your calf gently, coaxing you to open your eyes again.

“Hmm?”  You stifled a yawn behind the back of your hand and gave him a sleepy smile. “Yes, of course.  Our protagonist was just writing a letter about his current dire circumstances.”

Thrawn gave you a tender smile, his eyes glowing soft as embers of the fireplace. “Almost.”  His smile turned a bit teasing. “If my cadence is too much to withstand, we may continue this at a later time.”  He propped the book open upon your knee to demonstrate; his long fingers then lacing with yours and bringing the back of your hand to his lips in a chaste kiss.

You hummed softly in pleasure, your eyes lidding slightly as he continued placing soft kisses to each of your knuckles. “Perhaps I will brew us some tea?”

“And deprive me of your warmth, my darling?”  Thrawn’s cinder eyes wandered over your blanket-swaddled form, he carefully set the book aside and tugged your body closer until you almost sat on his thigh.

You couldn’t suppress the giggle his sudden movement elicited.  You leaned forward and touched the tip of your nose against his, closing your eyes when he reciprocated and pressed his forehead to yours. “I love you, and I love this time we can steal together.”

The rain above began to thrum with a steadier beat, intermingling with the sound of your breaths as they deepened and synchronized. You pressed your lips to his, savoring the familiar comfort of having Thrawn in your arms.  

Thrawn made a pleased sound deep in his throat and his fingers tangled in your hair as he leant into the embrace. When the two of you pulled apart slightly, he admired the red glow from his eyes lighting your cheeks softly.

“I love you.”  You whispered; the words almost lost amidst the crackle of the dying fire.

“As I do you.” Thrawn replied without hesitation, the admission came so easy to him now, so naturally.

“Now, I’m going to make us something hot to drink.”  You gave him a more playful kiss this time, brief but scorching. “And then you can read more to me.”

Thrawn almost groaned in protest as you withdrew and stood with a slight sway before regaining your balance in the dimly lit room. You gave him a sly grin and held out your hand. “Unless of course you wish to join me in the kitchen.”

“I would never refuse you, my beloved.” Thrawn tilted his head as he read the slightly wanton expression on your face, a slow smile tugging his lips. He took your proffered hand and stood as well, noticing how your lips parted slightly and your pupils dilated as his height towered over your smaller form.  “After all, brewing tea is a difficult task.”  

“Hmm, yes.”  You agreed, leading the way through the darkened hallway. “I certainly require my master tactician’s help in this endeavor.”

You’d barely begun the pretense of retrieving the boiling kettle and sugar from the cupboards before Thrawn moved up behind you. His lips began pressing gentle kisses to the skin of your neck.  Your hands faltered slightly in response, fumbling the packet of tea you’d opened. A small gasping laugh left your parted lips as Thrawn’s hands tickled along your sides before he firmly pulled your body back against him.

“Thrawn.”  You said his name, almost pleading.

You pressed instinctively back against him, and his teeth scraped against your neck in response, his strong hands tightening their grip on your hips.  A small hiss left his mouth, sending chills of anticipation down your spine. “Continue with your task.”  He spoke softly into your ear before running his tongue along it, kissing your earlobe. “Don’t allow me to distract you, my love.  You were so determined to make us tea.”

“I’m not sure if I can remember how.”  

Thrawn laughed softly in response, the deliciously rare sound almost causing you to whimper.  

In a fluid motion he swept aside your hair and began kissing and biting the nape of your neck. “Continue.”  He murmured, following your movement as you bent over the counter slightly, keeping his body flush to yours.

Your hands shook slightly as you continued unpacking your tea assortment, the floral and herbal notes wafting from the paper pouch. You had trouble filling the kettle with water as Thrawn decided then was the time to begin lifting pushing his hands under your shirt and caressing the sensitive skin at your waist.

“do not be so coy,” a chuckle rises in his throat, “you left your sketch book out on your nightstand the other night. i happened to stumble upon it, and only flipped through a few pages. i won’t prod, but i would love to hear you explain them.”

“explain them?” you arched a brow, “thrawn, what do you mean, explain them?”

his expression softened, the chiss clearing his throat, “i-i was not sure what the sketches were, and wanted some sort of explanation. you’re not upset with me, are you?”

his scarlet depths are glittering with anticipation, eager for your response. you suck in a breath, “i haven’t done anything like this before.” 

“well, i won’t press any further--”

“no,” you shake your head, “i’m not upset with you, thrawn. i was trying to say that i have never shown anyone my sketch book, let alone try to explain their meanings and what they are.”

“well, from what i saw, they were absolutely wonderful.” 

his voice is small, almost quiet as the words tumble from his lips. 

you placed your hand on top of his, giggling, “i tend to forget about your burning passion for art.”

he shifts in his seat, a shy grin painting his features, “my sweet, i do happen to enjoy art. but there is nothing more that i love than your own works.”

“so,” you begin, opening the sketch book, “where do you want to star--”

“ah, ah, ah,” the chiss tsked, patting his thighs, “i want you right here.”

rolling your eyes playfully, you rose from your seat, settling onto the pressed white slacks, “what if someone stops by?”

“then they will be promptly asked to leave,” his breath is hot against your ear, a sending a shiver down your spine, “no one interrupts me when i am with you.”

fighting the urge to sink into his chest, you choke back a blissful sigh, “all right, where do you want to begin?”

the chiss placed a delicate hand on your sketch book, flipping through a few pages, “i wanted to begin with this one.”

your eyes widened as a sketch of a certain chiss fills a page. it’s in black and white, the lines scratchy and jagged. the memory flashes through your mind: how you sketched thrawn whilst he was leading a meeting, discussing the ever-present threats to the empire. 

his brow is furrowed in concentration, lips etched in a thin frown. you could sense the pure authority radiating from his stance, how he stood with his hands crossed behind his back, eyes ablaze with power. 

“t-that’s you,” you mumble, stumbling over the words, “and i sketched that while we were in a meeting.”

“so this is what you do while i speak?” his tone is lighthearted, a gentle tease, “do i always look that intimidating?” 

“do you want an honest answer?” a laugh escaped from your lips, bouncing off the walls. 

“always.”

“sometimes you do look a bit intimidating,” you shrug, leaning back to place a tender kiss on his cheek, “but i know that you’re quite the softy.”

“i’m not soft,” thrawn let out a huff, lips forming a pout.

“you wouldn’t let me start until i sat on your lap,” you protested. 

“maybe you’re right,” he countered, “you can flip the page, my dear.”

a watercolor image floods the pages, the green, beige, and brown hues rich and vivid. carefully, you lay a finger on the page, “this is a little something i did after that mission where we encountered those wookiees.”

“why did you make them look so gentle? they tried to kill us. twice,” thrawn snorted. 

“they were quite kind, you were the one trying to kill them.”

“perhaps i was a bit rude,” his voice is laced with nostalgia, as if he was recalling the memory as you spoke, “but this is beautiful, love. the attention to detail through the hairs of the wookies and the leaves, that must have taken hours.”

you nodded, “it was time-consuming, but i am pretty content with how it turned out.”

“it’s gorgeous,” lips graze your cheekbone, the words authentic, “i never knew you were so talented, but i didn’t doubt it one bit. perhaps we could set up something where you could paint a portrait of me, hmm? i would pay you.”

“thrawn,” his name was a deadpan, “you don’t have to pay me.”

“but i want to,” a hand drifts towards yours, fingers lacing together, “maybe you could paint a portrait of us? i would hang it on my wall and admire it every single day.”

your heart fluttered, a blush tinging your cheeks, “maybe we could work something out.”