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Samakro couldn’t wait for retirement.
Samakro had spent most of his life feeling young. Until the last few years, where age had begun to creep up on him. Decades old injuries beginning to play up, hairs that turned grey at a moment’s notice, knees that really shouldn’t be making those sounds when he sat down. It was an inevitable stage of life, and he had made his peace with it far easier than he thought he would’ve.
All of his children were grown up and out of the house. Sacher was now in command of her own ship, and happily giving the Syndicure more than a few headaches. His middle child was following after her mother, and was now a member of the Aristocra. And his youngest decided to follow neither of her parent’s footsteps, and was now the owner of a popular bakery-come-cafe in central Naporar.
Samakro had spent most of his life working his ass off. He got little respect for it, but he had done some good and only a little bad. Politics and shit talking had gotten him stuck at Senior Captain, but he didn’t care. Commanding the Springhawk had likely helped him age prematurely which was unfortunate. But the bridge was where he belonged. Until now.
Now it was just counting the time where he could hang up the CEDF uniform for the last time. Thalias was determined to work till her death bed, but Samakro was looking forward to time spent doing nothing. He could get up in the morning, make a cup of caccoleaf with hours of emptiness ahead of him. Samakro could start useless woodworking projects that go nowhere. He could visit his children whenever he wanted until they kicked him out. The Ascendancy would be his to do whatever he liked. Unfortunately he still had good years left in him - thankfully not too many - so Ar’alani wasn’t permitting him to retire just yet. Although he had to repeat himself over three times the last time he was in face to face conversation with Ar’alani, so he wouldn’t count on her having too much working time left either.
He was still forced to work, but that does not mean Samakro couldn’t get great pleasure in being old. He was sat at his and Thalias’ kitchen table eating a second breakfast. Samakro had complained about the weather to his wife, and was contemplating a nap.
“You are remembering what day it is, aren’t you?”
Fuck.
“You swear you will be nothing but polite?” Thalias said sharply, although she still leaned down to kiss his forehead.
Samakro rolled his eyes. “I swear”
“To both Thrawn and Ivant?”
“Ivant will be stunned by how gracious and charming a host I am” Thalias didn’t look impressed, but she nodded anyway. As soon as she turned away, he grumbled slightly under his breath. Afternoon kriffing tea.
Despite Thalias having worked alongside Ivant for years, Samakro had never met him. ‘Troow had never met him either. Both of them agreed that Ar’alani and Thalias had worked together to keep them from meeting him. Because this human wasn’t just a friend of Thrawn. Oh, no. A bit more than friends.
But now Samakro was finally getting to meet him. Thalias had told him a few weeks ago that she had invited Ivant around to their house on Naporor - so they could work together in a relaxed environment. Samakro was fine with that, he was even a little excited to finally meet the famous human. It was a week ago that Thalias had broken the news.
Thalias had not just invited Ivant around. Thalias had invited them both around to the house. Thrawn. Thrawn, who had come busting back into Chiss space a few months ago, Jedi in tow. ‘Troow had given him all the juicy updates whenever Thalias refused.
And now he was coming here. In Thalias’ own words: ‘while Ivant and I do all the work, you and Thrawn can have a nice catch up? Perhaps over a cup of ch’ai?’
Samakro had spent a lot of time with Thrawn in the past. He would even say that he liked the Chiss. But forced playdates with him?
There was a chime of the doorbell. Samakro groaned. Here it goes.
“Remember to smile!” Thalias called from the hallway.
He heard the door being opened, and voices. Samakro stood up with a creak and prepared his best smile. Thrawn would be able to see through it like glass, but kriff it. The door to the kitchen opened.
“And of course Thrawn, Samakro, you two know each other” Thalias said with a light laugh.
“Of course” Thrawn smiled at him, nodding his head. “It has been many years” And it has been. Thrawn looked near the same but, like Samakro, with a few too many miles on him. Grey hairs, wrinkles, that tired look. Gods, Samakro wished he was napping right now. He turned to the human standing next to Thrawn. Fu’ch.
“Senior Captain Samakro, it’s nice to finally meet you, I have heard many things about you from Thalias” Ivant outstretched a hand. The human’s grin was wide, showing many bright white teeth.
Samakro blinked a little. So this was why Thalias and Ar’alani had kept him and ‘Troow away from Ivant.
The human was short. He had light brown skin with a tangle of dark brown hair on his head. And he was… young. Samakro wasn’t exactly well versed in human aging, but Ivant looked closer to his thirtieth birthday than his sixtieth. Unlike the rest of them .
Samakro turned to give Thrawn a side eye, only to find him looking at Samakro expectantly.
“All good things, I hope” Samarko laughed casually to cover his lapse. It didn’t sound natural. He quickly shook Ivant’s hand. “And is it Ivant, or Vanto, I’m not-”
Ivant waved him off. “Just call me Ivant, I have long since given up trying to correct anyone”
“Ivant then” Samakro said. He hoped it didn’t seem like he was staring. Gods, ‘Troow is going to tear Thrawn apart. Mitth’raw’nuruodo: cradle robber.
There was an awkward pause that left Samakro wondering how the kriff he was gonna fill an afternoon of small talk with Thrawn.
“Shall we leave you two to it?” Thalias gave Samakro a cheeky smile. Damn that woman.
Ivant turned to Thrawn. “See you in a bit?”
Thrawn nodded. Ivant reached up on his tip toes and kissed Thrawn, which the Chiss responded to enthusiastically. Samakro felt his eyebrows disappear in his hair. Even after retiring (being kicked out) from the military, even after all these years, Thrawn still finds a way to surprise him.
Thalias and Ivant left. Samakro really hoped it was his eyes playing up, and he did not see Ivant grab Thrawn’s ass as he left the room. This was a public space, dammit. And now it was the two of them, left alone.
“Well, it is good to see you” Samakro said with a sigh. He sat down at the kitchen table. “Ch’ai?”
“Please”
Samakro poured for both of them. “Honestly, how you have managed to stay in one piece all these years, who bloody knows. You’ve been lucky”
Thrawn inclined his head. “Luck was certainly a part of it. Eli, or Ivant, helped too”
Samakro was sure he was helping. “He was your aide, back in the Empire?”
“Yes. He did well, but for numerous reasons that are too complicated to tell now, it was safer for him to be in the Ascendancy” Thrawn took a sip of tea. “I am fortunate as to how everything turned out. I am fortunate for the happiness that I have. As, I suspect, you are too. You and Thalias make a wonderful couple”
Samakro felt himself smile. “Yeah, we’re good”
“I would not have expected it-” Thrawn continued “But I am very happy for you”
“Well, I wouldn’t have expected what you’ve got with you either” Samakro snorted at the audacity of it all.
Thrawn looked confused. “Is Ivant…not what you expected?”
“Definitely not what I expected,” Samakro chortled. He leaned back in his chair.
Thrawn furrowed his brow. “Oh?”
“Come on, Thrawn” Samakro rolled his eyes and took another drink. “I mean, i’m not you , but I am not stupid. Or blind”
Thrawn blinked at him. “I am sorry, I don’t understand what you mean” So it was like that, huh.
“I mean, you sure got yourself a little something when you were in Lesser Space huh” Samakro smirked.
Thrawn looked astonished. “Pardon?”
“You know what I am talking about” Samakro teased. “What is the human phrase?” Sacher had taught him Basic a while ago, after teaching her mother first. “Oh, yeah. Boy toy ”
“I…”Thrawn’s eyebrows were reaching his hairline. Which said something, because it had begun to recede a little. “If you are talking about Eli, we are in a relationship and have been for many years now. There is no problem in it”
“I am not saying there is a problem" Samakro deflected. "He is a decent few years younger though, isn't he"
Thrawn was hesistant in his reply. "Perhaps a few"
"Eh, a bit of a mid life crisis, it is natural. Gotta say, he’s cute. Agile” Samakro would bet that nothing creaks or cracks when Ivant sits down. Or bends over.
Thrawn swallowed loudly. “I do not believe I am suffering from a mid life crisis, Samakro”
“I am not judging you” Samakro shrugged. “I bought a T-Class Harl’eyd’avison Speeder Bike last month” Thalias had almost ripped his head off; she had ranted about the impracticality, the cost and the danger. “And you, you’ve got your own little speedster”
Thrawn flushed considerably. “I hardly think that-”
“I’m joking, I’m joking” Samakro interrupted hastily, trying to cover his laughter. Maybe a bit too far. Thrawn was more purple than blue.
Thrawn would not look him in the eye. “Of course. It is amusing” His tone was uncertain. He did not understand the joke, not really. He didn't understand why Samakro was actually trying not to shake from laughter. Thrawn, of all the Chiss he knew, being the one to relive the glory years by fucking someone half his age. Younger Samakro never would have believed it.
Another awkward pause. Samakro trying not to bust a gut, Thrawn trying not to burst with embarrassment.
“I gotta use the refresher” Samakro stood up with a groan. “I’ll be back in a minute”
Samakro had barely left the room before his comm was in hand and he was calling ‘Troow.
“You are not going to believe this”