“To the stars, through difficulties.”
Thrawn is a man who relinquishes trust very sparingly, and time is a commodity that is hard earned. When he realizes he would like to spend more time with you than is possible in your current stage, he does something about it. You, his hard working and intelligent assistant, have been through thick and thin, but can’t imagine life without such a man.
Warnings: Female reader, they are both part of the Empire but you know what, book Thrawn isn’t as evil as the rest of the media. Kissing, blah blah. Not proofread this was a mind spill. Lemme know if I missed anything.
Loving Thrawn is akin to loving the universe itself.
He was not the type of man to give out his best analysis of a situation or moment without first hearing from his most trusted companion. No, he is quite fond of attending to her thoughts. Your thoughts. He would not share your company without finding utmost value in the wonderings of your mind. His favorite analysis is the analogs of your mind. Things such as the way you hold your finger over the holo messages you receive. The buzz you create around yourself when you are excited for a meeting, the ways about how you hold yourself in different situations in said meetings. The curve and effect your smile had on every feature of your face.
Mundane moments didn’t happen as oft as he would appreciate, he could admit. Though he did appreciate the sensation of strategy and the satisfaction it brought. It was a little ways into deep space travel that he was seeking conversation. You were looking down at your holopad, as usual. It was almost required of your position. He shifted.
“Before I knew you, as well as the depths of your heart, I knew a certain artwork. It is in my home system, however I feel the same pleasure of studying it as I do you.”
You look up, cocking your head. Thrawn was a different sort of romantic. While to some his affection is utterly unorthodox, or perhaps even unloving, you knew otherwise. He had a different sort of mind, one that was a pleasure to be on the same starline as. A smile was all that was needed at times for comments like this, but time and dedication to the man alerted the mind he wanted conversation. The holo pad was set down.
“What did this artwork depict?”
A worthy question, you could suppose. How else would you receive answers to such a testament?
He shifted, closing his eyes with a satisfied hum for a couple moments. He opened his eyes, urging you to come to him. He wasn’t an overly affectionate man, he showed his love through support and time, through sharing his mind and thoughts with you.
However, he could be beholden for the way your head would rest just below his shoulder, and right above his chest. It was… comforting, perhaps was the best word.
“The creation was one in a romantic sense. A meadow of dark grass, long and lush. But above it lay a thick layer of sunlight that reflected the shine of dark grass. It was from a demolished system, but this artwork remained from the demolition of said system.”
A flush made its way to his cheeks, a purple patch, as he tried to recount in words how that reflected on you. He paused. He continued.
“You, my dear, I feel as if you… are the light that reflects on the grass, thick and warm and coruscating against the darkness of the thick grass. Now, in the farthest corner of the painting lies the serendipitous realization that with the light, flowers open. I feel as if… you are the light that nips the buds of my flowers. I have yet to open up to one member of company as much as I to you. I imagine that as time and proximity take its toll on us, that I will open many more flowers to you.”
He was choked up at this moment. You lift your head to see the emotions play over his expression. Surely he could feel the beating of your heart against his own, surely he could tell how touched you truly were. Because you felt the same. The child of a less than well of mechanic, you were destined to be under that title forever in the ways of the galaxy. However, the rising star named Thrawn took you under his sponsorship, from there he helped you develop your skills until you were high enough ranked as an officer to stay by his side.
Loving Thrawn took time and patience, as much as it took appreciation. It took waiting for him to insinuate the things he was feeling, for he likely didn’t realize them himself. It took telling him every adventure that lay in your mind, baring yourself to him such as a tree with its roots. But when that tree was large and stable enough, it gave back many sweet fruits and flowers.
You could tell he had more to say, it was just taking time to come from his lips. You sat in his lap a little more still, patiently awaiting the next moment.
“What I am really trying to unveil to you, is that I cannot imagine any set scenario where you would not benefit me to be ingrained into my existence, to my future. I am aware that a masterpiece such as yourself is uncommon, and this is an eccentric place to confess such a thing,” at that, he gently takes you from his lap and leads you to the view of the sky from his office, holding your hand as he gets to one knee, “but would you do me the grace of being my navigator, of joining me on every mission or adventure that life would give me, give us?”
He was out of his comfort zone, it was easy to tell. Because it was the mundane things about him that made him the most unique man you had ever met. You couldn’t help the smile on your lips, that was hard to do when he talked in such poetic terms. You gently raised one of your hands from his own, stroking his velvety cheek. He maintained eye contact, several strategies running through his crimson irises. Oh, to know what exactly was going through his head.
He seemed to remember something, reaching a bit shakily yet fervently into his trouser pocket. He produces a box, which he offers to you.
“Your answer will not deter this gift in the slightest, if you wish to remain the same.”
It wasn’t a matter of whether you would deny his offer, it was how to answer his lyrical proposal. You opened the box, looking him in the eyes as you did so. Inside lay a silvery ring with an iridescent stone. The ring itself was an almost sturdy lace like metallic flourish. No doubt this ring was an artifact of some civilization. But that could wait for later.
“Would you do your masterpiece the honor of placing this artwork on her ring finger?”
You ask, holding out the box and said finger. His smile was deep and sincere. He took the ring and gently slid it over the finger that would hold the promise. He kissed your hand after, looking first down, then the second into your eyes again. His eyes held so much to them.
You leaned down kissing him. He stood, meeting your lips more intently. He couldn’t help but replace his usual stoicism with the love and emotions he was feeling for the irresistible woman that he held in his arms. The feeling of your fingers running through his hair was enough for him to know that he would never know the taste of being alone again. The bitterness and well expected misunderstanding of him as a whole. A determined tear slipped from his sealed eyes. Yes, this was the moment he could draw back upon in his days of decay and pinpoint his happiness.
“I love you, my Navigator.”
He whispered against your lips after a few deep moments. It took a couple more shared smiles into kisses before you could respond.
“I love you, Mitth’raw’nuruodo.”
You knew many didn’t even attempt his full name in Galactic Basic, but when he looked at you so tenderly and clearly, it was as if you had given him an artwork he wanted his whole life.
Loving Thrawn was akin to loving the Universe in many ways. It was a doorway, a cosmic force, a collapse of separation.
And going forward, loving the other would be the greatest decision that either of you had made.
I hope you enjoyed! Have a wonderful day. And let me know if any of you have Thrawn thoughts. 👀
