In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night

At first, whenever you sat beside Maul as he meditated, you always made sure to keep a careful distance between your shoulder and his. He didn't look at you as you lowered yourself down beside him, nor did he acknowledge the way you folded your legs and tried to mimic his stillness. But he also didn't tell you to leave, which you took as permission.

Over time, the distance between you had become smaller incrementally. You started sitting close enough that your sleeve sometimes brushed his arm, and then you let your knee rest lightly against his. Then you leaned your shoulder into him, and although his breathing changed so subtly that anyone else would've missed it, he remained exactly where he was, as if pretending your weight against his side had no effect on him at all.

Eventually, it became routine for you to curl up against him while he meditated, with your cheek pressed to his chest and one of his arms settled loosely around you. He'd made some excuse once about how your nearness forced him to tolerate distraction, which you didn't argue with. Even when his arm started tightening around you, definitely betraying that he enjoyed the closeness whether he'd admit it or not.

That's when you started noticing the sound. Just a low, rumbling vibration in his chest that you could feel humming against your cheek. It always happened when Maul had been still for a long while and his expression had softened just the tiniest bit, when your breathing had evened out against him and all else was quiet.

The realization of what exactly was going on hit you one day when you were half-asleep, your head resting against the center of his chest while one of his arms was looped around your waist. You were listening almost absently to that low rumble that came from deep in his chest, too sleepy to really register it until it hit you all at once.

Your eyes opened. Maul's eyes snapped open immediately after, suspicious like he'd sensed your thought forming and was already irritated.

"You're…you're purring," you said, delighted by the realization.

Maul stiffened and the sound stopped so abruptly that you almost felt guilty. "Go back to sleep."

You tilted your head up to look at him, keeping your cheek pressed to his chest. Your mouth was slowly curving upwards despite your best efforts to keep your expression neutral. "That wasn't a denial…" you pointed out.

"It was an instruction," Maul replied lowly, just a little snappishly. His arm around your waist didn't loosen in the slightest, though. "One you would be wise to obey."

You ignored the order. "You were purring," you said again instead, almost to yourself. You pressed your cheek harder against his chest like it would somehow bring the sound back. "I didn't even know you could do that."

Maul inhaled slowly like he was forcing himself in check, his eyes narrowed at you. "Do not be presumptuous," he scoffed. "Is it so shocking that there are things you have not yet learnt about me?"

It was such an obvious deflection that you had to try hard not to laugh, because you were pretty sure that laughing would make him dump you on the floor out of spite. "Fair point," you agreed. "But this may be my favorite thing I've learnt so far."

You could swear Maul almost rolled his eyes. "A meaningless physical response?"

"Not meaningless," you mumbled, pressing your face into his chest affectionately. "It means you're comfortable."

"It means I am undisturbed," he corrected you pointedly, though his arm shifted a little higher on your waist to draw you more securely against him in a way that kind of ruined whatever point he was trying to make.

You hummed softly and let your eyes drift closed again, deciding you'd irritated him enough for now. "All right. I won't disturb you then."

For several moments, Maul stayed rigid, still staring down at you. Then, little by little, the tension eased from him. He exhaled quietly, his arm loosening a little around your waist, and eventually, that low rumble in his chest returned.

You kept your face carefully tucked against him, hiding the smile you knew he could probably feel anyway.

"Not," Maul murmured firmly above you, "a word."

You bit your lip to keep the words down and obeyed only because that purr meant you'd already won anyway.

The first time Maul told you to repair his legs, you'd thought you'd misheard him. He'd returned from a skirmish with one side dragging just enough to betray injury, though he seemed more irritated than pained. His gaze had been fixed on your hands as you worked as though he was expecting you to make a mistake, his voice sharp with correction and dismissal if you'd attempted to offer reassurance when working on particularly sensitive areas. Still, though, the fact that he'd trusted you to help in the first place was…significant.

Months had passed since then. The intermittent repairs had become semi-frequent maintenance, and the maintenance had now become routine. There was still that lingering feeling of surprise that he let you this close at all, but you knew better than to question it. To be honest, you didn't really want to question it. He almost seemed to be getting comfortable with the arrangement, and that was enough for you. He no longer corrected you or dismissed you for being too careful. He simply sat on the edge of the bench, usually silent, and expected you to know what to do.

Tonight, his eyes were shut. His hands were resting flat on the bench either side of him, and his breathing was controlled as you worked, kneeling in front of him with your tools set neatly on the floor next to you. You didn't speak unless you had to. Words of comfort usually made him withdraw, but silence allowed him to accept gentleness he couldn't seem to handle when offered aloud.

You adjusted one of the more sensitive connections, and his breath hitched a little. You stopped, glancing up at him. For a moment, you did nothing except let your thumb move over the connection once, just a little touch meant to tell him you'd noticed.

Maul opened his eyes and frowned when he saw you looking up him. "Continue."

You swallowed and looked back down, carefully getting back to work. "Was giving you a moment," you muttered quietly, squinting at the connection as you adjusted it again.

"I did not ask for one," he snapped quickly, grimacing slightly at the adjustment. "Continue."

You took a breath and did keep going, albeit gently. You eased the tool back into place carefully, keeping your other hand lightly braced against his other knee in a way you hoped was reassuring enough that he couldn't condemn it. His eyes were fixed on you now, narrowed and watchful, though not exactly irritated. More…searching.

"You are tense," he observed after a long moment.

You faltered slightly, glancing up at him again. "I'm…I'm trying not to hurt you," you admitted, against your better judgement.

Maul's expression tightened. "Pain is not unfamiliar to me."

"I know," you said quietly, your attention returning to your work. "Still don't wanna add to it."

His jaw tensed like something about your answer frustrated him but he didn't respond. The room fell quiet again except for the faint click of your tools and the low hum of the light overhead. But then you shifted to work on a different area and Maul's hand moved suddenly, closing around your wrist.

You froze instantly. His grip was firm, his thumb resting against your pulse to feel the nervous flutter there. "You no longer fear me when you are this close," he murmured, almost accusingly.

You looked up slowly. "Not like I used to," you admitted.

Maul hummed, eyes narrowing a little, his head tilting slightly. His grip didn't loosen. "And what has changed?" he asked.

You let your gaze drop to where his hand held you. "You have."

He frowned, but didn't deny it. After a moment, his thumb moved once across your wrist before he abruptly released it. "You presume much."

Your wrist flexed as he released it, your eyes still lingering on where he'd held it. "Maybe," you said, carefully returning to your work. You swallowed. "…Maybe your trust has made me bold."

Maul frowned deeper, his shoulders stiffening. For a moment you thought you'd said too much, but then he looked aside with a faint, derisive scoff. "I permit you this proximity because you are precise," he said, dismissive but edged. "Do not mistake necessity for sentiment."

You stayed quiet for a moment, tightening a small coupling until it gave a quiet click. "I can call it necessity if you prefer," you agreed dryly, though you didn't dare meet his eye, instead remaining almost overly focused on your work.

Maul stiffened again and almost scowled a little. His grip tightened on the edge of the bench. "…You are impertinent," he murmured.

Your mouth curved faintly. "Only when permitted."

Another silence, a little heavier. But then Maul just scoffed and turned his face away again. "Don’t grow accustomed to it."

You allowed yourself an actual, though brief, smile at that. "Wouldn't dream of it." You felt his gaze return to you as you made the last adjustment with your usual care. You finally pulled back slightly, setting your tools down with a sigh. "There. Done."

Maul stood slowly, testing the repaired weight with a shift of his stance, before he abruptly turned towards the door, leaving you to gather up your tools. Just before leaving, he turned his head. "…Do not neglect your rest. I require steady hands."

You looked up, startled. Was that…care? hidden beneath the practical order? Maybe it shouldn't surprise you at this point, not with how long he'd been permitting this. But surprise flooded you regardless, along with the tiniest bit of warmth. "…Of course, my Lord."

Maul nodded once, satisfied, then disappeared out the door.