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Newly appointed Commodore Thrawn and Lieutenant Commander Eli Vanto stepped into suite on Coruscant, returning from the ceremony. There was a lot to do to get ready for the transfer to the Chimera but both men wanted a moment away from it all for themselves.
Thrawn suggested the idea because he had a sneaking suspicion Eli was doing everything in his power to keep his emotions appropriate yet professional. He was proven right as Eli broke into a wide grin, taking his rank plaque off and stared at it. He let out a huff of laughter like he still couldn't believe it was real.
Thrawn swallowed the urge to congratulate the man. He had already done it twice during the ceremony and then again on their way back to the room. It was just so tempting to give Eli the acknowledgement and validation he'd been so wrongfully deprived of. Then again, he doubted he could give his congrats even if he wanted to. His breath was practically stolen from him at the sight he privately dubbed "The Eli Vanto Grin". It appeared anytime Eli truthfully and genuinely smiled. The way his teeth showed and face wrinkled from the smile were so uniquely Eli.
Thrawn still remembered the first time he'd seen it. He remembered every time he'd seen it. It was hard not too. The Eli Vanto Grin was a rare occurrence.
The first time was right at the end of their term at The Royal Imperial Academy. Eli had his eyes glued to his datapad all day. He stared at it with such intensity that anybody would've guessed he was trying to blow it up with his mind. He constantly dragged his finger down the screen, refreshing the page an overabundance, and slightly concerning, amount of times. Thrawn let him be until he heard a gasp come from the young man. Thrawn turned his eyes to him to see Eli reading something on the screen and almost flinched in shock as Eli yelled in triumph.
"I passed!" Eli shouted as he began punching the air, letting the force drag his body across the room. Thrawn had breezed through his courses, having no anxiety about his grades. He was, in fact, an already trained and seasoned military officer. So the fact that "the big final", the one that would make or break a cadet's chance of graduation, had occurred completely slipped his mind. It seemed to be that Eli would be graduating from Royal Imperial. Eli continued as he cursed each name of every person that had doubted his merit or success. What with Eli doing an admiral job of ignoring said people and not letting their comments affect him, Thrawn almost had room to be impressed that Eli had kept track of their names all this time. What really was on Thrawn's mind, however, was the enormous grin on Eli's face.
He had seen Eli smile before, sure, but never like this. Usually Eli's smiles were merely polite, a lie even sometimes. This was real, genuine, and in the back of Thrawn's mind, beautiful. It was completely different from what he had begun to expect from the human from the past 3 months and Thrawn was sure it would leave a lasting impression.
Since then, and before Eli's promotion, Thrawn had seen it maybe two or three times.
At first, Thrawn was merely glad that Eli wasn't completely miserable all the time working as his aide. Now, Thrawn found himself the urge to try and get Eli to smile like that more often. He looked at Eli still gazing and running his fingers along his rank plaque and said, "This is a wonderful occasion for the both of us. While we are on Coruscant, I think a celebratory dinner at a nice restaurant is appropriate."
Eli made a face.
Well that was the complete and utter opposite result Thrawn had intended.
Thrawn hid his disappointment, "Or we could not."
Eli shook his head. "No, sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... a nice restaurant on Coruscant?" Eli let out a grimace. "I don't think that's exactly my taste. Or style."
"I see." Thrawn said, refusing to say more lest his embarrassment show. Silly of him to suggest a high end place when he knows how fidgety and uncomfortable Eli is every time they attend parties or galas on Coruscant.
Perhaps Thrawn needed a new go to phrase as Eli seemed to immediately catch on and quickly interject, "But we should definitely go out! And by should I mean we are. Just...is it alright if I choose the place?"
Relief passed through Thrawn as he gave a small smile and nodded. "Of course."