Closed; The devil in the wires

[art_of_war]

WHO: Thrawn and Eli Vanto
WHERE: Greenhouse
WHAT: Eli has been brooding thinking and Thrawn has noticed.
WHEN: After Eli's conversation with Poe
WARNINGS: None anticipated


Thrawn was not suited to these sorts of tasks. Things like watering seedlings, weeding areas by hand, or simply washing the dishes that were reused for mealtimes. Not suited to it because he was often bored but not because he balked at handling such mundane chores. He could do and did whatever Eli asked of him without complaint.

But Eli had been quiet and withdrawn recently. And Thrawn internally agonized over whether it would be better to investigate anything that had bothered Eli or whether Thrawn needed to bide his peace and let Eli wrestle with his demons on his own. In the end, he temporized and after washing out mugs in a bucket of gray water (which consisted of water that had first been used to wash the dirt off vegetables) he used that as an excuse to speak with Eli.

He found Eli easily enough outside the actual greenhouse and walked over to sit down next to him. He held the bucket by the handle and set it down in front of them both.

"Did you wish to pour this out over the squash vines still?"

Comments

[art_of_war]

Thrawn frowned. His fingertips stopped moving. He spoke haltingly, as though he were working through the logic as he talked about it.

"....no. Fear is not a useful weapon in this instance. I do not know if it could be used against us in turn...but the possibility is there."

[thrawnsaide]

"Seeing that the Empire relied on fear to win the war and lost... It shows that even a strong military organization was unable to meet the demands you were hoping to find. You had hoped that he would eventually listen to your reason, but even after all that you have done and proven to him, he chose to not listen. "

Eli calmly stated. He was not phased by the way Thrawn spoke. He was used to how he handle things especially in a topic like this. "I feel he was simply exploiting what he could from you and eventually he would dispose of you once you outlive your resourcefulness..."

[art_of_war]

Thrawn said nothing. He knew Palpatine was using him. Thrawn had offered his services for just that purpose. He was still of the opinion that the Empire would have had another leader in time, but from what he understood there had been a political vacuum left behind in the wake of the Emporer and Darth Vader's death and since nature abhors a vacuum the Empire had collapsed and was replaced.

At the moment, at least, there was nothing to be done about it. Thrawn's fingertips found the back of Eli's neck again.

[thrawnsaide]

Noting that Thrawn didn't reply back, Eli accepted the fact that he was correct in his assumptions. This also meant that Thrawn had nothing to justify himself or his actions for what may be going on back at home or what could happen. He would continue to be doing what the Emperor asked of him.

"Let's just head back to our place. The work is done for now here," Eli said softly. He didn't want to dwell on the topic anymore it was becoming more disheartening.

[art_of_war]

There was more to the situation than Eli knew. Although Thrawn did not want to dwell on the situation any more than Eli did o he continued saying nothing.

Standing up, Thrawn actually offered a hand up back to Eli.

[thrawnsaide]

Allowing a small smile to show, Eli accepted Thrawn's hand. "Can you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone after everything," he hesitantly asked.

It was new territory for them and he wasn't sure what was considered too quick or what was comfortable for them. He knew he simply just wanted the other's company and not be alone to dwell longer on what was discussed.

[art_of_war]

The warmth of Eli's skin felt as though he had a furnace inside his body. The difference between Thrawn and Eli's skin temperature made a tingling sensation race up Thrawn's arm following the initial feeling of heat.

Thrawn frowned a bit at first. If Eli had not added the second part to his question it is likely that Thrawn would have politely refused. But if it was just a question of being physically present then Thrawn felt he would be able to do that.

"if you wish."

[thrawnsaide]

"Thank you," Eli replied and allowed his own smile to broaden. He enjoyed feeling Thrawn's cool touch against his.

He lead them back to their place and up to his room. It would probably be the first real sleep he had in a long time. Instead of the constant worry that kept him from sleeping easy.

[art_of_war]

Thrawn followed Eli to the same place that he'd been living. Thrawn had only recently taken up residence there and rather pointedly had a different room from Eli's.

When he agreed to stay in Eli's room it had seemed straightforward enough. When they were actually there Thrawn...didn't actually know what to do, It had been some time since there had been anyone but him in his bed. And the idea of sharing Eli's...well it was daunting.

[thrawnsaide]

Eli had began his process of getting ready for bed, when he sensed Thrawn's hesitation. He began to wonder if his simple request had been too much for the other. He didn't want to pressure Thrawn if that were the case.

"...If this is too much too soon, I can understand if you wish to back out." Eli softly replied as he anxiously played with the bottom of his tunic. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

[art_of_war]

Thrawn shook his head.

"It is not that. It is more about the simple fact that I feel...awkward about whatever it is I am meant to do."

The fact Thrawn admitted to being awkward was the first time he had done so since coming to the Empire.

[thrawnsaide]

"We're just sharing the bed?" Eli replied, tilting his head a bit a little confused by Thrawn's awkwardness over it.

"I found listening to your heart beat calming. I had hoped that perhaps sleeping next to you it would present a more restful night and help me not dwell on the recent subjects we discussed." he carefully explained. "I admit that I've never really asked of this before with anyone else."

[art_of_war]

That...sort of helped? It made Thrawn feel incredibly flattered at any rate. Somehow knowing that this was new territory for Eli too was what really helped the most. Thrawn cleared his throat once.

"It will also be a first for me. Therefore I feel a sense of awkwardness"

Because Thrawn wasn't very good at being in an unknown situation. There wasn't a lot of room in Eli's bed so Thrawn couldn't fully stretch out. He thought to himself it would be more practical to get a larger mattress. Well if Eli thought to make a habit of this, that is.

[thrawnsaide]

Eli relaxed once he saw that Thrawn was okay with everything. He knew that explaining would help especially since a lot of times sharing a bed usually meant sex was involved. He wanted to let Thrawn know that wasn't his intentions and he wasn't ready for such a step yet. For some reason Eli was taking this relationship more carefully then most.

In the past he usually sought company for the night by hooking up at the local bar at home or in the lower areas of Coruscant when they had to report back to home base for a while. None of them were serious relationships and something he wanted to continue.

Now everything was different. He also noted that the mattress wouldn't accommodate Thrawn's height very well. "We'll have to look for another mattress later...But....for now please just let me know if anything makes you uncomfortable. I'll do the same too."

[art_of_war]

Apparently it was going to be a habit after all. Not that Thrawn would have anything to say about that. Eli's bed wasn't really meant for 2 people either so Thrawn and Eli would have had to be very close together. Again not that Thrawn was complaining.

Thrawn was at least courteous enough to take his boots off before laying out the best he could on top of the covers in Eli's bed. He had never had anything as warming as bed linens and would very likely not even realize they were there.

[thrawnsaide]

Eli slipped off his boots and tunic before he awkwardly climbed into bed trying to situate himself where he wasn't going to shove Thrawn off the bed or make him too uncomfortable. He wrapped his arms around Thrawn before placing his head against his chest. He did manage to have it so the blankets were around him and not over Thrawn since he knew the Chiss didn't really use the blankets.

[art_of_war]

For another moment Thrawn felt awkward but as Eli leaned against his chest that disappeared. It wasn't possible to do anything else. So very hesitantly, Thrawn did put an arm around Eli. The other arm was being used as a pillow for now.

[thrawnsaide]

He gave a small smile pleased to see Thrawn draping an arm around him. He hadn't been expecting that at all. Listening to Thrawn's heart beat and the protective arm around him, Eli felt safe for the first time in a good while. He visibly began to relax and drift into sleep.

[art_of_war]

Thrawn didn't sleep as much as a human but he hadn't mentioned that. So as Eli went to sleep Thrawn was still very much awake. Another time might have seemed odd to both of them to stare. But right now Thrawn did not hesitate to watch Eli sleep. And to wonder how Eli had managed to come to mean so much him.