Work Text:
“When I said I wanted a vacation, I did not mean going to Spira to track down Nightswan.”
“It was an efficient way to get both done.”
Eli rolled his eyes and glared at his commander, who was looking at the timetable for their shuttle.
“If we’re doing work it’s not a vacation. If we’re pretending to be on a honeymoon, it is not a vacation. Which by the way why are we pretending to be married?!”
Thrawn spared a glance at Eli. “Commodore Faro said—“
Eli put his head in his hands. “I’m going to kill her.”
“Doing so would get you thrown in prison, I strongly advise not to.”
Eli checked his datapad and furiously typed a strongly worded message to Faro. She responded back with just a winking face and a heart. He was going to die this week. Not from the heat, not from the potential threat of Nightswan, but from embarrassment. He was already dying from the fact that Thrawn was casually holding his wrist and dragging him to their arriving shuttle.
As they got in the shuttle, Thrawn let go of Eli’s wrist and Eli mentally kicked himself for missing the feeling. Faro clearly thought this would push Eli to confess or have some kind of grand romantic revelation that Thrawn shared his feelings. He blamed the romance holos her and Hammerly have been binging. Although he did think they were pretty good holos. But the idea of Thrawn returning his feelings or hell even a confession not ending in his immediate transfer was unthinkable. Eli was happy with what they had now. A steady friendship, a understanding of each other. That was good enough for him.
“So why is Nightswan on this planet anyway? Tourist trap doesn’t seem like the place he would strike.”
“I suspect like us, the people he deals with are using it as a cover.”
Eli nodded. “Makes sense, these places are the easiest place to be pickpocketed at. Exchanging goods is probably even easier.”
He glanced over at Thrawn besides him. This was a tropical planet which meant warmer climate. Thrawn tended to not do as well on those kind of planets. Eli had already called ahead to their hotel to have the temperature of their room to be as cold as Eli could handle.
“Picked a good planet to try and thwart us on. Let me know if you’re not feeling good, okay?” Eli said while unconsciously raising his hand to check Thrawn’s temperature. Thrawn leaned into the touch with a slow blink.
“Aw look at you two lovebirds! You guys will love Spira, great place to spend a vacation together!” The droid driver’s voice cut in unexpectedly.
Eli startled and dropped his hand. What was he thinking? Caring for Thrawn had become second nature. They were supposed to be acting like a couple though, so what was he worried about. He tried not to let out a squeaking sound when Thrawn caught his falling hand and intertwined their fingers.
“Thank you. I’m sure we will have a wonderful time here.” Thrawn replied coolly to the droid.
Thrawn then leaned closer to Eli so his words wouldn’t be picked up by the droid. “Is this too much for you, Vanto?”
Eli flushed. He was here on a mission. He wouldn’t fail at that at least. “No, sir. It’s alright, it’s just….caught me off guard.”
Thrawn nodded. “Let me know. I do not want you to be uncomfortable.”
Eli chuckled nervously. “Alright. I’ll keep that in mind.”
****
When they got to their room, Eli shivered because the hotel went above and beyond in regulating the room temperature. Thrawn on the other hand visibly got more energy in his stride as he took their bags into the closet. Eli sat on the bed trying to warm up. The only one bed situation had worn out it’s anxiety inducing ability after the 5th mission in which him and Thrawn ended up on some backwater planet in some run down motel. Also due to chasing Nightswan. If Faro’s absolutely bonkers idea worked out, she should be thanking him instead.
“Kriffing hell, when I asked them to make it cold in here, I didn’t mean freeze my ass off.” Eli said shivering on the bed, as Thrawn walked back into the room.
Thrawn quietly removed his uniform jacket and wrapped it around Eli. “Thank you for that, Eli.
Eli was too cold to be flustered at the moment. Thrawn’s jacket practically swallowed him, which was good because he needed all the warmth he could get. They were probably going to stay up for a while setting up operations.
“Thank you, sir. Shall we get to work then?”
Thrawn’s eyes lingered on Eli for a brief moment. “Yes. I assume you sent the hotel schematics to me already.”
“Yes, and I did a bit of research on the bad reviews of the hotel to see if anything stood out. And seems like there’s a pattern of incidents happening around the hotel’s pool.”
“Very good.”
•••
They worked for hours coming up with a plan. Based off of Eli’s research and Thrawn’s input and deductions, they decided the best vantage points to stake out the pool and then the best way to cut off Nightswan, if he appeared. Thrawn was sure he would and Eli had long learned to trust the Chiss.
He had warmed up considerably and tried not to regret having to take off Thrawn’s jacket and wash away the Chiss’s scent from himself. He then tried not to feel a certain way about seeing Thrawn laying down on the bed on the same side as usual. It was strange at how this felt natural to him. How this sight wasn’t odd but a comfort. Thrawn had piled all the blankets given to them on Eli’s side of the bed. Eli huffed in amusement and slid into bed.
He wanted this. Eli couldn’t lie. He wanted to sleep in the same bed as Thrawn despite how cold the Chiss liked the room. He wanted to wake up next to him, he wanted to love him. But as things were, they weren’t whatever this was. They were just two people on a mission to stake out a smuggler. Eli let himself indulge just this once watched Thrawn scroll through his collection of art on his datapad as he drifted off to sleep.
****
The mission was currently a success. Eli’s research paid off and they had eyes on a group of undercover smugglers hanging out the pool. Every so often, someone would walk by them and an exchange of goods took place. Finally like Thrawn predicted, Nightswan showed up. But unlike the others, he was handed the keys to a room in the hotel. All in all a success as now they were to set a trap for Nightswan in that room.
But Eli was losing his mind. This whole day had been a parade of mixed signals. He woke up curled into Thrawn’s body, warm and comfortable. He would have immediately thrown himself back if Thrawn’s arm hadn’t already been wrapped around his waist. The Chiss was already awake too, his other hand was holding his datapad and he was reviewing messages from High Command.
Then when they were in the lift, Thrawn had brushed an unruly lock of hair out of Eli’s face. His hand had lingered on Eli’s cheek too long to be an accident. Eli had become a blushing mess per usual. As the day went on, similar incidents occurred, most out of sight and private. He didn’t know what to make of any of it. They were supposed to be acting as a couple but this was laying it on pretty thick. Eli could handle hand holding, but the softer, sweeter small domestically tinged moments were killing him. So he had called Faro.
“This is all your fault.”
“Hello to you too, Vanto.”
“I’m dying out here, Karyn. This is only making everything worse.”
“Alright, calm down Eli. I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“He’s barely let my hand go or it’s around my waist. He let me wear his jacket, he let me cuddle with him. He’s calling me by my first name. He’s just so confusing!”
“The hell do you mean? He’s clearly kriffing in love with you Eli!”
“It’s the mission! We’re supposed to do all that.”
“Did he do it in public? When you needed to be seen?”
“Well…yeah sometimes but….no.”
He heard Faro sigh loudly. “So he’s basically been the perfect boyfriend behind closed doors when the act didn’t need to be acted? And you are here talking to me instead of, I don’t know, confessing?”
Eli paused as her words and conclusion sank in. “Thrawn is in love with me?”
Faro’s eye roll could be heard across the galaxy. “Yes, you idiot! Now go!” She yelled as she cut the call.
****
The plan was to break into the room Nightswan was meant to be in and confront him there. Eli sprinted through the lobby and was willing the lift to go faster. He spotted Thrawn deftly popping open the lock on the suite door.
“You’re late. What happened?” Thrawn’s eyes narrowed as he scanned behind Eli for incoming threats.
Eli stalked towards him with purpose. He pinned Thrawn against the door as it swung open. Thrawn raised an eyebrow but made no move to get out of Eli’s grip.
“You love me.”
Thrawn blinked, startled. “Yes.”
“Good.” And Eli kissed him. Not gentle but not terribly rough either. He had to stand on the tips of his feet to do so but then Thrawn leaned down and pushed him towards the bed in the room. The Chiss’s eyes were bright, intense, pupils dilated. Eli smirked and pulled Thrawn down on top of him and kissed him again.
“You have no idea,” Eli said between frantic kisses, “how long I’ve wanted to do that.”
“Likewise.”
“You know Faro arranged all of this.”
Thrawn pulled back as Eli needed to get air in his lungs. “She is overdue for a raise.”
Eli laughed and pressed his face into Thrawn’s chest. A steady low purr was emanating from him. He looked back up at Thrawn, content. Why had they waited so long to confess?
Suddenly a cough startled the both of them. Nightswan stood in the doorframe. The man looked greatly amused if not surprised to see them.
“I guess some congratulations are in order?” Nightswan said with a smirk.
Eli flushed but then so did Thrawn, purple blush dusting across his cheeks. He felt Thrawn pull the blaster from his holster and he did the same with Thrawn’s. Nightswan held up his hands but it was clear he was trying not to laugh.
All in all, this mission was a success in Eli’s eyes.