It’s Nice to Meet You
I have many a fiction I have written haha but none are on here. If this one goes well, perhaps I’ll upload others! Let me know what you think!
- Pairing: Thrawn x fem!reader
- Warnings: none, just major fluff!
- Summary: Thrawn doesn’t know how to react to falling in love at first sight. He tries to navigate the scenario but is awkward and confused and absolutely adorable.
- Word Count: 2.6k+
_________________________________________________________________
Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away…
Further away than Coruscant, further than even the Outer Rim…
Deep in Wild Space on an unknown planet…
“Senior Captian Thrawn,” Che'ri’s soft voice called out to the older Chiss man standing near the lowered ramp before him. Her shiny red eyes peeked over her chair as she sat facing the backrest, hands gripping the sides nervously as she queried, “do you, maybe, think I could come with you this time?”
The captain chuckled at her anxious demeanor. It wasn’t like the young girl to act so skittishly around him, so she was expecting to be turned away. “Che'ri,” his soothing voice called, the young Skywalker’s eyes snapping to his, “this planet seems rather docile. Would you care to join me for some fresh air?”
Che'ri fumbled quickly out of her seat and ran to join her captain at his side. Thrawn looked down at Che'ri, a gentle smile on his lips, “Perhaps they have more graph markers and paper here.” Che'ri had been working very hard recently and needed a break just as much he did, Thrawn knew. Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have her tag along instead of waiting inside the ship this time.
_________
The planet was dry, with hardly any sign of life- save for a few alien creatures scurrying on the ground. “This is so neat! I’ve never been off the ship when we visit new worlds!” Che'ri’s excitement made Thrawn chuckle again. It was refreshing to witness a young kid’s outlook on new worlds and space travel Thrawn had decided. “Thalias would have a fit if she knew,” the girl snickered mischievously to herself as if this would be a little secret between her and Thrawn.
It wasn’t long before the two Chiss came upon a clearing that sat in front of large boulders nearly the size of a small mountain. The dusty red color of the stones contrasted with the yellows and greens of what looked like a small pop-up market. “Come,” Thrawn made a quick nod with his head toward the pop-ups, “perhaps we shall find some supplies there.”
There was a small crowd, enough people for Thrawn to assure Che'ri was close beside him. This small market seemed to see enough foreign faces that the Chiss didn’t stir too much attention, much to Thrawn’s relief. He, of course, wouldn’t be afraid of any unfortunate encounters, but he would prefer not to involve Che'ri. It did help that Thrawn had previously informed the young Skywalker to change her uniform, opting for them both to wear casual civilian clothing- so they didn’t draw attention. Perhaps they looked like just father and daughter to outsiders, just traveling the galaxy out of intrigue.
“There! Can we go over there?” Thrawn was thrust from his thoughts as Che'ri tugged on his shirt sleeve, her finger pointing at a booth that displayed different trinkets. Nodding, the captain followed his pilot to her desired location, eyes searching over the people in the crowd. Thrawn kept a protective hand on her shoulder as she poked around the handmade toys and bracelets.
There were so many different formed faces in the moving crowd. Some species Thrawn recognized, others he didn’t. Could any of these faces be Grysk? Could any of them be one of the species wreaking such devastation in the Ascendancy? “Can I get this one?” Once again, Che'ri’s voice brought Thrawn back to himself. The young girl was holding up a small wooden trinket that resembled an animal they’d seen as they were walking through the wilderness toward the market. Thrawn tilted his head slightly, eyeing the carving. “I think it is a lovely choice, Che'ri,” he nodded with a small smile.
“Oh, wait!” The girl exclaimed as if she’d just had a thought, “I should get one for Thalias!” Her red eyes began scrutinizing the goodies on the table again, looking for the perfect one for the caregiver.
“She’s an adorable little girl,” a soft voice said, obviously just to Thrawn. It caught the Chiss by surprise, so he lifted his head to meet the owner. The face that greeted him surprised Thrawn even more. It was a young woman with a warm smile, eyes glimmering in the sunlight from overhead, and hair tied back out of her absolutely stunning face.
Thrawn had momentarily forgotten she had mentioned Che'ri, the woman’s smile almost…confusing him. “O-oh, y-yes,” he said dumbly, at first, “she is quite the delight to travel alongside.” The Senior Captain was concerned by his lack of social awareness suddenly. How had he not noticed the woman before? Why did he lose his words at just the sight of her? It disoriented him, which wasn’t entirely a new experience if he thought about it. When his friendship with Thrass was evolving, he’d also been clumsy in that interaction. Perhaps it was the same instance? Perhaps, he was truly hopeless in social interactions, as Aralani had mentioned multiple times over the years.
“Is she your daughter?” The woman with the beautiful smile asked, eyes never leaving Thrawn’s face. She wasn’t hiding anything from him. The woman looked so honest, so open. There were no ulterior motives to her question, no deep betrayal underneath the curiosity- just pure inquisitiveness, wanting to know more about the man before her.
It was indeed new for Thrawn to meet such innocence from the people he met on other planets, especially when they met his species for the first time. Many in this region heard the tale of the Chiss, though few had come in direct contact with them. They were either met with fear or anger…never genuine, unadulterated kindness.
Once again, Thrawn found he had been staring at her instead of answering her question. He cleared his throat, glancing down at Che'ri- who, for her part, was so enthralled with finding Thalias a souvenir she didn’t know they were talking about her. “Uhm, no,” Thrawn again said plainly, making a pained face as he heard his own short words. Why couldn’t he find his usual words? “She, uh, she is my…student. I am training her as a pilot.”
The young woman tilted her head curiously, “she is so young.” Her dazzling eyes studied Che'ri for a moment, then returned to freeze Thrawn to his spot again, “you train them this young where you are from?” The depth of her eyes nearly caused the captain to lose himself. Completely enamored by her beauty, Thrawn had no idea how to handle the situation. He had never felt his heart race this much in his whole life. Never before had he been so confounded by his emotions. “Yes,” he replied, then shook his head, “forgive me.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, he took a deep, steadying breath to clear his thoughts. It felt as if Thrawn had been attacked by this sudden meeting, like he was experiencing an ambush aboard the Spring Hawk. But instead, it was right here at this moment. Staring him right in the face with a captivating smile made just for him. How was he supposed to manage the conversation?
It was official- Thrawn was lost.
He decided to start over, perhaps that would help him find his footing in the interaction.
He tried a smile, “may I have your name?”
“Of course, sir,” she replied, giving her name. It was as fitting as he would’ve assumed. Perfect for a beauty like herself. “Am I allowed to ask yours, mysterious traveler?” The woman was teasing him for asking for hers and not giving his first.
Thrawn realized it immediately as a habit to ask for others before sharing his own, and in only this moment he’d wished it wasn’t one he had.
Embarrassment flooded his cheeks “Y-Yes, of course,” he lowered his head with a self-deprecating chuckle. “Forgive me, again. My name is Mitth'raw'nurodo.”
Her eyes widened slightly at the exotic name, he began his regular schpiel about just using his core name when he heard the angelic way his name fell from her lips. “Mitth'raw'nurodo,” she repeated like a curious child learning a new word and Thrawn froze once again to his spot as he gazed at her as she felt the word. “What a unique name, what does it mean?”
Blinking away his daze, the Chiss man nodded “it is a family name,” he explained vaguely. It was difficult to explain any Chiss names to outsiders, so he decided to skip over the confusing story. “Though, please, call me Thrawn.”
“Alright,” the woman nodded resolutely, never losing her smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Thrawn.”
They held a wonderful conversation about different things and when Che'ri finally found the perfect gift for her caregiver announcing it aloud, interrupting the conversation. Thrawn gave an apologetic smile to the woman- who just shared a warm expression of her own. “I think whoever you picked that for will love it, sweetheart.” She turned her attention to Che'ri.
Nodding frantically with a winning grin, “I think Thalias will love it!” Thrawn agreed with a chuckle, paying the beautiful woman for the two trinkets.
It felt strange to Thrawn, but they said their goodbyes and the two Chiss began to weave their way through the crowd. Though, it wasn’t long that they left the booth that Thrawn heard his name again. Turning, he saw the woman from before running to catch up to them.
Out of breath when she’d reach them, she tried to explain herself, her cheeks red. Perhaps it was because she had run over to them in the heat, or so Thrawn wagered. Her eyes were focused on her closed hand, “I wanted to give you this.” She finally met his red eyes with her own, reaching and taking the captain’s right hand. He felt his sleeve being pushed up but he was too enraptured by her divine features gracing him once again. “It isn’t much, but,” finally she broke eye contact to study his wrist as she worked something onto it. Thrawn had to tear his gaze away from her to see that she was tying a colorful bracelet in a knot. Her voice had been so soft and so uncertain,
disregarding her sudden gift. The Chiss laid his hand over both of her as they finished their work, memorizing how they both fit flawlessly within his own. “I shall cherish it,” he assured her warmly, “thank you, truly.”
“I hope to see you again one day.”
_____________
Her words still resonated in Thrawn’s mind now and again when he was alone in his study, or even in his bed at night- when he watched the stars go by his window.
But tonight was not a night he was alone, unfortunately. He was surrounded by many people, many of Coruscant’s elites, nobles, and moff’s. Thrawn did as he was requested by the Emperor, as his title of Grand Admiral had ordered of him. Though sometimes he wished he didn’t have to waste the time he could be catching rebels or searching the stars for the Grysks on socializing with people who stared at him as if he were consuming the very blood of a child.
The honor chains that tied themselves from his shoulder piece to the elaborate buttons on his Imperial Naval Court uniform jingled like a set of bells as he shifted his posture a bit. Eli Vanto had gone off to grab himself another drink from the table, leaving the Grand Admiral by himself. He had been lost in his thoughts when a voice spoke from behind him.
“Excuse me, sir,” the voice was delicate, warm…familiar.
Thrawn turned around, curious as to why the voice felt so familiar, and when his eyes met hers he felt his whole body freeze.
It was her. The beautiful market angel he had met so long ago. The one who possessed his dreams at night, the very one whose enchanting smile obscured reality for him, the one who had claimed him with the colorful bracelet he still wore on his wrist.
How was she here? Was she a vision? Had Thrawn finally lost his mind after all these years of secretly searching for her?
The woman was quiet, aiding his idea that she was a figment of his imagination. But finally, she spoke, wistfully, “I never thought I’d see you again.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Perhaps she worried it was a dream too? The longing in her eyes shone so brightly that Thrawn felt as if he would get lost all over again. “Do you…” she whispered this time, apprehension picking at her words, “do you remember me?”
Just as when he’d first met her, the purity in her expression showed everything. She was hiding nothing from him. Her vulnerability was like a well of fresh water in a desert to the Grand Admiral.
No.
Not the Grand Admiral.
Not in her presence.
Just…Thrawn.
She looked at him the same way she had when he was a Senior Captain. Though even then she was unaware of his rank in any militia.
He’d had so many years to think about what he would say to her, what he would do to her if he was able to see her again. Now here she was, finally, and Thrawn couldn’t recall any of the sentiments he had so meticulously prepared. He could only gaze at her, unabashedly.
He knew he needed to say something, but he had no idea what to say. He was lost for any words in any language he could speak. She was captivating him all over again.
Finally, Thrawn took a breath and let it out slowly. His smile came so intrinsically that it amazed him, “of course, I remember.” Then he recognized how flatly he’d spoken and decided to articulate himself better. “How could I forget?” This time his voice was a whisper of his own.
She smiled even brighter now at him, her eyes glittering at his assurance, “I was hoping you would. I haven’t forgotten either, though I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.”
He found himself chuckling at her comment, “Neither was I, my lady. I must say, you’ve surprised me tonight. Though, it is a lovely surprise, indeed.” Thrawn admitted sincerely.
Her eyes drew away from his face momentarily to study his Imperial attire and Thrawn noticed a hint of what looked like pride in her expression as her eyes returned to his. Her eyes wandered the Chiss so openly it made him tense a little, his hand tightening behind his back. “The naval uniform looks very handsome on you, Admiral.” She complimented smoothly.
Her candidness was refreshing and jarring all at once. Thrawn felt nearly explosive heat rise within him at her praise, his cheeks igniting with reserved embarrassment. He cleared his throat, nervously “T-Thank you, my lady.”
How should he compliment her?
Should he tell her how enchanting her smile was? How her eyes glittered brighter than the distant stars in the galaxy he traveled through? That her angelic voice nearly brought him to his knees?
“The bow in your hair matches your dress exquisitely tonight.” Thrawn lamented his complete existence in the Empire tonight.
But her giggle brought him quickly out of his humiliation, “Thank you, sir.” She replied, her hands delicately clutched together at the front of her skirt.
Thrawn noticed something odd and was quick to dismiss it, “please, my lady, I do not desire that kind of pleasantry between us.” He explained, taking one of her hands in his without thinking. “Call me Thrawn.”
A knowing smile touched her lips and his heart beat painfully against his chest, “alright,” she began and tightened her hand around his reassuring herself that he wouldn’t let go this time. “Thrawn. It’s wonderful to meet you…again.”
