I'm just here to simp for Thrawn

"Are you alright?" He asks with his grave voice, turning his burning jewel at you.

"Yes." You lie.

You don't want to get into an argument right now. This is not the time. Not the place. Not the good person…

"Smile. There will be paparazzi there, I can't be seen with a brooding partner. Especially you."

"What do you mean by 'especially you'? What is that supposed to even mean?"

He sighs in turn, frowning.

"As a cross-species couple, we have to show unity to the rest of the Ascendancy. If they can find a modicum of a disagreement they will descend on us like vultures. And if you thought us dating was hard before, we will never survive them."

"But there are disagreement, Thurfian." You remind him, looking at him sternly.

You look at each other for a second before he shakes his head and readjusts his collar.

"Do not bring that up again. The argument is over and behind us." He tells you.

No.

Orders you.

You tsk under your breathe.

You love Thurfian, you truly do, but… He is hard to love.

He is hard to please and satisfy, and he is not innocent in your argument either, despite his holier than thou attitude.

He was that close to annihilate your heart last time. You don't even know where you found the strength to forgive him for his cheating, and sometimes you wonder if you even did forgive him at all… Yet here you are. Adorned in a rich dress and expensive jewelries to appear at a private soiree of the Upper Crust of Csilla as his official partner.

Not official 'First' partner.

You managed for him to drop that 'First' rank. You will be the only one or you'll leave.

It angered him that you demanded him to abandon his Patriarch right to plural marriages. He went head to head with you, there was a booming voice on his part, and tears in your own. Then a silent apology as a tight hug in bed the following night.

He then accepted to discuss it seriously, trying hard to not get angry at you, and really argue his position.

But you were not budging. You accepted to return to him on the promises that there won't be anyone else than you, for ever. He had to swallow the pill. He was moody for a month before finally wrapping his head around the idea, and agreeing to drop that 'privilege'.

You hugged tight, relieved to have found common ground, and tried since then to rebuild healthy boundaries and trust.

He had you delete all your Chiss ex from your comm and he had to delete his. Well… Not all. Some of them are wealthy partners of the Mitth family and he can't have them drop the family like that. Some of them were counting on a marriage with your Chiss to solidify their own power and wealth.

And then the little human woman appeared with tears in her eyes and a pout, and all that well oiled machine suddenly shrieked shut.

You endangered a lot of very, very profitable deals for the Mitth by asking Thurfian to stop seeing these women. He fought, but relented, before agreeing.

Rapidly.

Too rapidly…

You bite your thumb's nail.

He cut the affairs with those wealthy female patrons and sponsors a bit too quickly to your taste, which give you the harassing thought that maybe, just maybe, he was not keeping his word.

Maybe he is not seeing them as prospect future wives, but simply as mistresses behind your back. Keeping the sex and the deals secured, before returning with a regal and holy attitude to you, waiting like a clown for your Chiss to come home, wondering where he is at this hour.

No.

No do not think that.

You have to trust in him.

Trust that he is true to his word, and loyal to you, like he promised.

You want to… You have to believe it, or…

"Here we are. Do not forget to smile, Ch'acah." He demands, opening his door to blinding cameras flashes and microphones, journalist swarming him.

He evades them with elegance, his regal attitude keeping them at a respectable distance while he skirts the car to open your door and offer you his hand. You gulp, but you take it, putting on a front of a happy woman in front of the cameras.

They circle you, taking photos, recording you, pressing mics at your faces, demanding answers as to why Patriarch Thurfian seemingly got rid of all his potential prospects.

Well, fuck you, you guess… News travel really too fast to your tastes here.

"Patriarch Mitth'urf'ianico? Just a word, please."

"There is no word to give. I am here to enjoy myself with my beloved Ch'acah, and spend a relaxing soiree with friends. Good evening to you all." He responds with a plastic smile, not missing to grab your hand on his arm to squeeze it for the cameras when he said 'beloved Ch'acah', before forcing them to break their circle with a confident stride and you enter the building, free of paparazzi.

You sigh out loud, trying to relax your shoulders after that stunt.

"Stay on your toes, Vutucni, we are not done. We have to face our 'friends'." He reminds you, getting rid of his expensive coast, mindlessly throwing it in a random maid's arms.

"… Wonderful." You grouse, "Why did I agree to come here, again?"

"To show a united front." He reminds you a bit harshly, dusting your shoulder and readjusting your collar, "You wanted me for yourself, we have to justify it to all the others."

That punches the air out of your lungs. So it is your fault now?

Scandalous!

He extends his arms at you, but you don't take it, frowning.

He tssks, snapping his head at you.

"I can't do it all alone, (Y/n). We are in it together." He states coldly.

You breath trough your nose, but relinquish, wrapping your hand around his arm.

"Better."

And you enter the rich ballroom.

You remains silent most of the time, letting Thurfian do the talking and presentations to his 'friends' and colleagues. You just smile and be pretty at his arm, like an eye candy, only talking if directly addressed, but people prefers to hear the Patriarch's opinion rather than his little pet's.

Right up until-

"Patriarch Thurfian, what a surprise!" A feminine voice you recognize well, too well, rises behind you.

You freeze.

Horrified.

What is she doing here?

"Medaewda, how are you, my friend?" Thurfian still turns, a grin on his face.

You feel your blood evacuate your head.

Why? Why is she here?

Did he knew she would be here?

"Who is it with you, Patriarch?" Her voice rings at your ears uncomfortably, "Is that…? Oh."

You gulp, and turn to her, with the best smile you can muster, but you're afraid it only looks like a grimace. With horror, you realize that she brought some of here friends too.

Friends you'd love to forgot.

"Hello, miss." She huffs her cig with a falsely polite tone.

"Hi… Miss." You return her platitude, begging for the floor to swallow you.

She clicks her tongue, before turning to your man, with an affable smile this time.

"So? Going monogamous, I heard?"

"Love makes men do crazy things." He retorts, grabbing your hand forcefully.

"Its such a shame, really…" She laughs, "You were such a bachelor, Patriarch. You made hearts swoon all around."

"Do not flatter me outside of work hours, please." He chuckles genuinely.

Genuinely…

You want to puke.

"Well, I hope we will able to keep… Cordial relationships despite it all." She continues, pressing her hand on his chest.

You feel ready to faint.

Or punch a bitch.

"I do not see why not." He agrees, not taking her hand off him.

"I'll go freshen up."

"What?" he turns to you with a frown.

"I am boiling in here, I'll… I'll go rest in a guest room."

"Alright. Do not faint on me, understood?" He tells you, releasing your hand.

"No…" And you rush away, hugging yourself.

Why are they here?

Did he knew?

Did he planned this? But why?

To keep his fun? To humiliate you? For having him stripped of his Patriarch privileges?

You rush out the ballroom, hitting some people with your shoulder, presenting your excuses barely loud enough as you speed away.

You enter a guest bedroom and head straight to the bathroom to splash water on your face to calm down. You take deep breathes, finger coiled around the white washbasin, your shoulders rising up and down.

You sigh, releasing your hair of its bound that pulls on your head uncomfortably. You cut the water and head out slowly, you throw your shawl off on a chair and head to the bed, slamming you face first into the pillows, swallowing your tears.

You hug a pillow tight, recoiling over yourself, letting your tears flow in the end.

_________________________________

"Thurfian ? I brought you…" You pass the door and stop dead in your tracks.

Thurfian has his head thrown back, slouching on his armchair, moaning, as a woman is bobbing her head up and down on him…

The air is punched out of your lungs.

"Ah…! Ch'acah…" He realizes you're here, but does not care, "Drop it on my desk…!"He grunts, in the throws of pleasure.

"Wha… What?!" You scream, out of yourself.

This time, they both turn to you, with puzzled looks.

You remember her! Hame'daew'dara! A sponsor of the Mitths!

"… Is there a problem?" He demands, displeased to have his pleasure interrupted.

"Is there a problem? Is there a problem?! I don't know, you tell me, Thurfian!" You shout, throwing the folder at his face.

He evades with a hiss, turning to you imperially and furiously.

"What is wrong with you, woman?!"

"You cheat on me, and you dare ask me what is wrong?! What is she doing here, sucking you off?!"

"She's my third partner?" He looks at you like you are just crazy, or simply dumb.

"Third?! Because there is a second one?!" You are enraged.

He played you well. Really.

"Calm down, swee-" She tries, but you cut her.

"You don't get to speak, homewrecker! Thurfian, why…? I… I thought you loved me…?" You feel tears rising and despair tightening your throat.

"I do. I-"

"Forget it!" You slam your foot on the ground, cutting him too, "Forget my comm number!"

And you rush out of his office…

_________

You open your drowsy eyes from your nap, as you hear the knob of the door opening, laughs right behind.

Thurfian enters, a glass in his hand, laughing loudly with people around him.

"I leave you for the night, my friends." His words are slurred like he is drunk, signaling them not to cross the threshold of the room, "I must return to my one and only love."

Your fist tightens around your collar as you hear boos from the crowd. Clearly, you are the only one who wants that arrangement. Not even witnesses want to empathize with you… You raise in a sitting position, almost like you would puke.

He closes the door with a happy sigh, opening his collar and finishing his glass.

"Hello, my love." He muses leaning forward to kiss your cheek, indeed reeking of alcohol, hugging your shoulders.

You don't respond, letting him do as he wish, coping with your reality. He wobbles, more gracious than any other drunk you ever saw, to the bathroom as you hear the water being drown.

You remain still. Taking it all in. Slowly.

He reappears, having abandoned his rich and heavy tunic, robes in the bathroom, leaving himself in his black pants. He leans against the doorframe, looking at you amorously, his cheeks slightly purpled by his previous drinks, smiling in his drunk stupor.

"What?" You ask, not even looking at him, eyes fixed on the door.

"Nothing. I love you." He hums again.

"… What did you do out there?" You ask, gulping with your throat dry.

"Lots of discussion, some drinking, some dancing. A bit of fun and lots of politics." He approaches.

"Hmm…" You simply respond, mind drifting away.

Discussing? With them?

Drinking? With them?

Dancing…?

You gasp when you feel him suddenly upon you, hugging your shoulders and waist, pushing you into the mattress. He purrs out loud, kissing your neck and collarbone, pulling on your collar to gain access to your skin.

You gulp, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

You let him do as he wishes, and then what?

You stay together?

You leave? To go where? With whom?

Can you even survive Thurfian's absence? You were such in a bad state when he asked you to return with him. Back then, you thought you were on the same wavelength, wanting the same thing.

But you wanted to be exclusive, while he wanted extracurricular couples activities…

Did you ever met eye to eye even once?

Did you…?

"Mmmmh, why aren't you undressing for me, Ch'acah?" He asks, kissing your cleavage, kneading your bosoms over the fabric.

"… I want to leave.

"You can leave the room once we are done, Vutucni." He purrs, kissing and lapping at your breast though the silk, "But I'd prefer you stay, my love…"

"No… I want to leave you." You realize it fully as it leaves your mouth.

He freezes.

"What?" He asks darkly.

"I want to leave… To be free of you…" You gasp, the first sobs upon you.

He rises to loom over you, his long hair cascading him his shoulders and framing his gorgeous face.

"What are you saying?" He asks, suddenly perfectly sober and lucid all of a sudden, his red eyes gleaming dangerously.

"I can't continue like that…!" You break down, hands pressed to your eyes, shaking, "I can't keep worrying sick that you may return to them…! That you won't keep your words…! And betray me again…" You sob hard, throat painful.

He remains silent, looking at you stricken and… Indignant.

"What do you mean I will not 'keep my words'? What do you reproach me exactly, (Y/n)?"

"Did you know?" You gasp, "Did you plan on them being there? Did you want to see them?"

"No." He sternly responds,"I knew they might be there, but I did not count on it. This was not a Mitth soiree that could have demanded their presences." He explains slowly, but surely, "Their presences here were coincidental."

You cry, chest rising up and down as you gasp for air, litterally bowaling your eyes out.

"Vutucni. Vutucni listen to me…" He tries to take your hands off your eye, but you resist, "Vutucni!" He raises his voice, freezing you in a shiver of stupor, "I did not plan it. I swear it to you. I did not intend to meet them tonight. Do you understand?" He tells you coldly, pushing your wrists into the mattress on each side of your head.

"But you stayed with them." You sob, "You danced with them… And the Maker know's what else…"

"Did I?" He demands haughtily, before lying on you, his hand wrapping under your head to force your nose gently in the crook of his neck, "Can you smell their perfume on me, perhaps?"

You whine and sniff.

You don't smell their perfumes. Only his cologne, musk, and alcohol.

"Can you?" He insists.

"…No." You admit, gulping.

He hisses lowly, keeping your head in place as to make you understand clearly and irrevocably that he kept his word and did no betray you. You try to push him off you but he keeps you tighter.

"You do not get to escape me after slandering me, woman." He grunts lowly in your ear, "I gave you my word, and at the first occasion you turn your back on me? I shared a single conversation with those women and left them. What more do you want from me?"

You hiccup, tears rolling down your human skin.

You want to believe him, you want to… But you're afraid you will always has that lingering doubt, that harassing doubt that will always have you double take everything your Chiss says.

Why would he truly abandon that right for you?

"Answer me, (Y/n)." He loses patience.

"I don't know, okay?! I don't know!" You explode, managing to lift him up off your chest, forcing him to hover you, "I just… I don't know…"

He considers you in silence, before sitting down on the edge of the bed with a sigh, brushing his mane back with his fingers. He lets his hand fall on his knee with a weary expression.

"You're not budging about that? Aren't you?" He asks, looking at the door in turn.

You gulp, pressing your knees to your chest.

"No…" You admit.

You will be the only one, or you couple will cease. And that, no matter how powerful Thurfian is as a Patriarch and individual, will never change your mind.

"I see…" And he stands up, returning to the bathroom, closing the door on him.

You whine, body shaking by sobs, your tears rolling into the pillows, with your mascara.

He returns, way quicker than you expected, holding something as he gets back closer to the bed.

"I was holding it for tomorrow, but it is urgent." He simply says.

And…

He drops on one knee.

You look at him wearily. Silent. Cautious.

He brings his hands forward, opening a little expensive box.

Revealing a ring.

Your eyes travel from the ring to his face several times, at a loss for words.

Is he…?

He gulps, uncomfortable.

"If this is not how you human proceed, tell me now, or…"

"Thurfian, are you…?"

"Proposing? Yes I am." He agrees, completing your own sentence, "This is how you propose in humans customs, correct?"

You receive it like a punch to your sternum. Your heartbeat speeds up. You think you are about to have a panic attack.

"Thurfian…? Are you… Crazy?"

"Maybe."

You press your hands on your face with a squeeled whine.

"Is that a positive response, or…?"

"I can' marry you if you don't promise me to stay faithful, Thurfian…" You tell him, "I could not survive thay again…"

He seems to wince.

"Technically, all the spouses are faitthful to each other in a Chiss plural-marriage, but that not here nore there." He explains before putting his pride expression and tone back on, "Vutucni, if being monogamous is the only way for me to keep you at my side and call you mine, then so be it."

"…Really? Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

"You're not lying?"

"If I am, you'll be free to leave with half of my personal Estate."

Oh, that's enormous.

"You swear nothing happened tonight? And never again?" You ask, almost hopeful.

"I swear it to you, Vutucni." He promises, allowing himself a tight grin, "I want a future with you, reigning on the family at my side. I want a children with you. I want to grow old and grey with you."

You snort through your remaining tears.

"You'll bury me, silly…." You gulp, taking back control of your breath.

"Then I'll take care of you until our last day together. If you allow me…"

You consider him. kneeling, his fingers holding the ring with the precious stone, red eyes gleaming with hopes and confidence in the future, holding his breath for your response.

Should you?

Should you not?

"… Alright." You smile.

He lets out a breath of relief and gently grabs your hand to put the ring. He even knows on which finger, without any hesitation. You contemplate the ring, at a loss for word.

"Is that Nyix?" You side-eye him with a grin.

"I can't hide anything from you." He smirks, arms crossed on the bed, head resting on them as he admires you with your new ring.

You look at it again, biting your lower lip.

"Can I write in your vows that you will stay monogamous with me?" You ask him.

"Can we skip that part?" He winces.

You frown, hurt.

He chuckles.

"I am playing, Vutucni. I'll write it in my vows if it may ease your mind." And he leans forward to kiss the tip of your nose with a purr, holding your face carefully.

You pout.

He brushes his nose tip to yours with a smile, before hugging you, pressing his face in the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent deep in his lungs.

"Let me dry those tears for good, Ch'eo Ch'acah." He promises with a sultry voice, "Your scent drives me up the wall."

"What about my scent, you silly?" You ask, hugging his shoulders, a hand coming to caress the back of his head tenderly.

"It it is heady… You smell so fresh, I want to devour you up."

You bite your lower lip, hesitantly.

"Can't we just hug tonight?" You propose.

He parts from you.

"I had in mind to give you a baby, tonight." He pouts.

This time you laugh.

"Tomorrow night, Ch'eo Ch'acah."

"Promise?" He squints, his eyes'light harshening with vivid interest.

"Promise."

He sigh with a sorry smile and press his face to your collarbone, hugging you tight.

"I appreaciate you calling me yours…" He purrs making himself comfortable on top of you.

He cages you under his taller body, shielding you from the rest of the world.

_________________________________

"You smile so blissfully, Ch'acah." He notes, taking a sip of expensive tea.

You spent the whole night in each other's arms and now you share breakfast in the hotel particulier with the rest of the night who spent the night here too.

You do smile, eyes fixed on the ring, admiring it joyfully.

Maybe a bit naively.

You catch a sight of Medaewda in the corner of your eyes.

And she does too.

She immeditely approaches your new fiance with a bright smile and a calculated cleavage.

"Patriarch!" She hums, a hand on his shoulder.

He doesn't look at here, keeping his eyes on his questis to follow the laters news.

"Take off your hand." He says.

" I had hope to… Excuse me?" She asks, her the side of her smile twitching.

"Take.Off.Your.Hand.Medaewda." He articulates colder.

She frown, but takes it off.

"What's gotten over you, Thurfian?"

"It is Patriarch Thurfian to you. I am enjoying a meal with my newly betrothed, and we would appreciate being left in peace."

She looks at you furiously, and you can't help but show off the ring with a satisfied little smile.

"Suit yourself!" And she walks away fuming.

You let out a breath, relieved that she left it at that. For now…

"Will it be okay? For future negotiations, I mean." You turn to your Chiss.

"I can manage her no problem. Worry not."

"Okay. I trust you, Thurfian."

He smirks, checking his feed of news, while you return to the contemplation of your ring.

That is when you notice something engraved so thinly it is barely visible.

You squint.

'To my one and only, forever yours'