boxofmisfits | Insert Witty Title Here

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Aden couldn't exactly say that he was pleased about having another person aboard his ship- the X-70A Phantom had been his exclusive home away from home ever since he'd had it made and aside from himself the only things that had moved about aboard so far were his droids. Still, the information he had received was information that both he and Thrawn had decided they wanted to move on and his ship was certainly more covert than an Imperial Star Destroyer would ever be. Faster, too.

He had made a few simple rules to make everything a bit easier on both of them though- Thrawn was not to go into Aden's personal quarters, he was not to go onto the bridge or into the cargo hold, and he was to keep his mitts off of the computer in the main hold. Other than that, Aden was happy to let him get up to whatever he wanted- he had let him know that he could get anything he wanted from the bar, that the galley was open to him so long as Aden himself wasn't in there, that he could use the conference room if needed, along with the holoterminal in the main hold to keep in contact with his people. Aden did not foresee Thrawn needing to access the medbay, but its doors were open to him as well nonetheless.

And of course, the beds in the crew quarters were comfortable due to the fact that they'd never been used before. Aden had even popped a few of his paintings in there so that Thrawn had something other to look at than bare metal walls while he was in there.

Though the main hold was more the treasure trove of art that was not Aden's own creations- sculptures and the like here and there to give the space a classy feel that went with the blend of rich wood tones and more modern glass features along with the plush seating and well-stocked bar. For all intents and purposes, the Phantom looked more like a luxury shuttle than the intelligence hub that it actually was- all of its combat capabilities well-hidden, and its internal computers difficult to access unless one knew exactly where to look for them.

The Phantom had just dropped out of hyperspace as the ship's computers- and the few droids aboard to assist with computing and day-to-day tasks- worked on charting the way forward since there wasn't exactly any commonly traveled route out here and Aden took the opportunity to take a seat by the sleek desk in the main hold, the screen on the wall activating while the surface of the desk parted to bring up the keyboard hidden beneath.

There wasn't exactly a very stable connection to anything super important out here, but the ships internal computers still allowed him to work on a few things he wanted to work on- like reviewing the report he'd gotten from Watcher Three and Minder Four. The message to expect him and an ally had been sent well before they had set off, so that it would arrive before they did and allow the pair of agents on the planet to prepare for their arrival- so they would be ready to receive them along with setting up a safe house while they were there.

Glancing back as he heard movement, he spoke up, "If you want to update your people, I suggest you do that now. Signal's not the best, but it is secure, and it's not like we're going to linger here for long."

He didn't think he was telling Thrawn anything the man hadn't figured for himself, but still, "The ship's navigational computer is currently at 72%, so we'll be off in hyperspace again within about twenty minutes, I imagine."

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"Indeed we are," Thrawn replied, swirling his drink idly. Thrawn had the Chiss of the Hand, but it wasn't the same. If any of them had romantic feelings for him, then they kept it to themselves. Besides, he had more to gain by having a close relationship with Nine.

"I have not forgotten your offer from before. The one you made after I made a show of kissing you." Namely that Nine was up for practice kissing.

Aden would still be nicer to a Chiss even without the attraction, but the fact that Thrawn was nice to look at and interesting to speak to certainly pushed his graciousness further than it normally would go even for another member of their species. Crushes were funny little things like that.

"Offer's still open, should you want to take it," He said, showing plenty more confidence there than he did in accepting being called a gracious host.

Physical affection and sexuality he could deal with. It was just the emotional bit that he found to be difficult to know how to deal with.

A cheeky smile then, "I might be inclined to use tongue though. And teeth."

Chaste was not quite him.

"So would I," Thrawn said, his voice low and silky. He wasn't exactly gentle when it came to kissing, or doing more than kissing. He sipped more of his drink, now down to just a few drops. He could hold his liquor very well.

"Seeing as we have a long journey ahead of us, perhaps I will take you up on this offer." Perhaps it was unprofessional to do this while on their way to do business, but sometimes Thrawn could indulge himself. There were times when he even helped himself to a glass of something strong while on duty. Besides, it was all going towards his plan to get Nine to do whatever he wanted.

Aden's eyebrows rose at that, an expression somewhat exaggerated to hide the way a shiver ran up his spine at the way Thrawn's voice sounded. He was no stranger to seduction given his line of work, but that low and silky tone should be illegal, "Oh really?"

He wasn't sure whether or not he was surprised, really. He was certainly interested though.

Aden sipped his wine, playing it pretty cool, though for the particularly observant it was obvious that it was at least partially an act, "Well, I'm right here should you actually mean that."

Nine couldn't fool him. Thrawn wondered what else Nine would do if he just asked. Placing his empty glass down near the liquor cabinet, he approached Nine.

"Oh, I very much mean it," He slowly approached Nine, until he was within arms reach. "You did say that I kiss well for someone who hasn't done so in a while, but a refresher is never a bad idea."

If someone had told him ahead of time that he would have this type of interest in Thrawn, Aden would probably have laughed at them and told them he didn't mix business and pleasure- usually it was more about stringing someone along when he got physical with them, after all. He did get the feeling that might partially be it from Thrawn's side, but well.

It was just a matter of who outsmarted who first if it became necessary. For now they were quite mutually useful to each other.

He set his still half-full glass of wine down on the bar and slipped down from the stool he'd been sitting on so he could step closer to the other man, looking equal parts flirtatious and mischievous, "No, it's certainly not."

He didn't exactly need any more encouragement than what Thrawn had given him already- reaching up to tug him down into a kiss.

Thrawn immediately kissed him back, putting a hand on the back of Nine's head, fingers digging into his hair, like he intended to keep him in place and not let him pull back. The kiss quickly became harder, Thrawn nipping at the other man's lip before shoving his tongue in his mouth.

He'd kissed plenty of humans, felt their warmer lips on his own, and it was actually kind of refreshing to feel cool Chiss skin again. Almost nostalgic.

For a man who didn't get a ton of practice, it turned out that he was still pretty good at it. Fingers in his hair, a domineering sort of grip that wouldn't let him pull away, those teeth that closed down on his lip and the exciting jolt of that sting of pain followed by Thrawn's tongue in his mouth and the taste of liquor that lingered along with Thrawn's own taste.

He groaned, not hesitating at all- kissing back and his tongue sliding against Thrawn's, moving his arms to wrap around Thrawn's neck, leaning up so that he was standing tiptoed so that Thrawn wouldn't have to lean down quite as much. Even so, he was doing the same thing as the other man was doing- very pointedly not allowing him to pull back.

Kissing another Chiss really was a superior feeling. The way he tasted- likely an imagined thing, but Aden could swear that he could tell the difference by taste alone between when he kissed someone of a different species and when he kissed someone of his own- and the way he felt, nice and cool compared to the heat of something like a human.

"Mm..."

Thrawn moaned into the kiss, practically shoving his tongue down Nine's throat, running it along his teeth, his tongue, the roof of his mouth. All the while, his hand tightened in his dark hair. Nine tasted of wine, mixing with the taste of the bourbon on Thrawn's own tongue.

His other hand drifted down, fingers digging into the flesh of Nine's thigh, which would leave purple bruises in the shape of his fingers. Nine would have to wear longer pants or leggings for a while to cover those up.

The assessment Aden had made that Thrawn was a commanding person had certainly been correct. Just how domineering he could get though was a bit of a surprise even if he'd assumed he would be. Fingers holding onto his long hair like that, not quite pulling, but certainly leaving no room to question just who was in control. Just how skilled that tongue of his was was a bit unexpected too, as well as the firmness of Thrawn's body against his own leaner and softer one.

What did that body look like beneath his clothes, Aden wondered. He definitely wanted to see it.

He groaned as fingers dug into his thigh, likely leaving bruises. Normally he didn't like having people leave marks on him, but with Thrawn it was oddly exciting. He definitely needed to show them off. He had a few skirts that should do the trick.

He wasn't one to be passive of course, his grip on Thrawn tightening as he pressed himself against him, moving one hand from where it had been resting at his back to run up along his neck, a gentle brush of fingers against that brilliantly gorgeously blue skin, briefly halting where he could feel the thudding of his pulse before continuing up to trail along his jaw as he continued to kiss him, playfully sucking at that tongue that seemed determined to shove its way all the way down his throat.

He certainly would not be the first person to pull back from this kiss of theirs.

Thrawn breathed through his nose as he continued to kiss Nine, determined to make him yield first. This had suddenly become a power play. Thrawn was stubborn, and he would only surrender if there was no other option. The hand at Nine's thigh went to the small of his back, keeping him pressed to Thrawn's body, while the hand in Nine's hair gripped it firmly and pulled.

Thrawn had a stubborn streak, it seemed. Another thing to add to his file. Aden liked that though because challenging the stubborn types, pushing up against the boundaries of how much he could fight them on something, was always fun- at least when it was a partner he was reasonably sure wouldn't actually hurt him for doing so. Pulling this sort of stunt back in his own time with Jadus had landed him in a bit more hot water than he had expected at the time.

Having his hair pulled did pull a groan from him, and he dug his fingers into Thrawn's back, while the hand at his jaw fell to hold onto his shoulder.

Thrawn tugging him closer was a boon, really, since the way he was being held allowed him some respite from the tension of holding himself in that tiptoed position and he couldn't help but open his eyes to look at the other man as they kissed to study what he could see of his expression. His breath was coming quicker through his nose, the physical aspect definitely turning him on, but more than anything he was determined to win this impromptu competition of theirs.

Nine wasn't giving up so easily, and unfortunately Thrawn was running out of air, not helped by the way their noses pressed against their faces as they attempted to devour one another. Deciding to take the loss (he would recoup his losses later, and win the next battle), Thrawn finally broke the kiss.

"Do not think you have won so easily."

Aden looked decidedly cheeky when Thrawn pulled back, his lips curled into this shit-eating grin that promised that he would be obnoxious about winning a battle even if the war was still up in the air. Very unlike a Chiss indeed but in this case he couldn't help himself. He was also rather flushed, breath coming in quick little gasps as he tried to catch it, but that was neither here nor there.

"I did win, though ~ ?" He hummed, in a sing-song sort of voice, "I think you'll have to take this l, Grand Admiral."

He looked very pleased with himself, and he was. He could tell his lips were either already bruised or well on their way to be, too, from how hard that kiss had been and he couldn't help but enjoy that too.

"I'll be looking forward to the war, though."

A challenge, certainly.

Removing the hand on Thrawn's shoulder, he reached to touch his own lips, humming softly, "I have to say that I think you practiced for that ahead of time though."

"Sometimes a warrior simply knows when to retreat. But in retreat, he prepares for next time, and is sure to achieve victory next time." Leave it to him to slip into tactician speak during this. He would just have to remind Nine of his place next time.

He took his hands off of Nine, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to smooth it back down. "I have kiss no other since the party," Thrawn stated. "It simply came back naturally to me after all these years." Meaning he'd kissed other men in the past the way he'd just kissed Nine.

Edited 2023-04-14 04:39 (UTC)

"A sore loser too," Aden commented, though there was no bite to his words. If anything he seemed to be in a much better mood than usual. Making out with someone of his own species was definitely the superior way to go. Particularly in this day and age, "That part's going in your file."

Aden didn't think it was a secret that he'd written one up on Thrawn, after all. He imagined Thrawn had looked into him and was looking into him too. Not that there was anything to find, given that he had literally appeared out of nowhere, making it so that the only look into him Thrawn would get was this sort of in-person meeting.

"And I'll take your word for it. I personally get a lot of practice, so."

It wasn't a relationship so Aden doubted Thrawn would care. He'd seen for himself how easily Aden stepped into the role of pretty bauble, and it was definitely something that often served Aden well.

He hummed then, reaching out to gently touch a thumb to the corner of Thrawn's lips, "I'll have to see if I have some concealer that matches your skin tone later."

"Chiss do not take defeat lightly," Thrawn reminded him. He wasn't surprised that Nine had composed a file on him. Now if only his own agents had any luck with finding out about Nine's past, and where he came from. So far they hadn't turned up even a hint. Thrawn found that disconcerting.

"Do you intend to leave me with bruises as well?" Thrawn asked, not giving any outward reaction to the touch.

"I'm Chiss too, so I'm quite aware," Aden said, definitely milking his victory for what it was worth. He doubted he'd have so easy a time the next time they did this. Aden would be the same, had he been the one who lost, "Of course I haven't been in the Ascendancy in about a decade, so maybe I've changed too much for you to believe me when I say that I'm still more or less set in the similar ways to the rest of our people."

He smiled then and leaned up to nip at Thrawn's lip- most definitely leaving a visible mark there, "Just the one. It's only fair, right?"

He touched the mark gently then as though to soothe any pain away- and dipped his head down to nip just beneath his jaw too, leaving a small purple mark there on his neck too, a confident sort of mischief clear in those red eyes.

Yeah. He was definitely too old to have a crush, but Thrawn was most certainly his type.

"... It's Aden, by the way. My name," He said, stepping back, "Though you can continue calling me Nine if you'd like."

"I'm afraid little about our people have changed in the past ten years," The Chiss were stubborn like that.

He blinked when Nine bit his lip, his fingers going to the fresh mark. That would probably cause questions when they reached their destination. Thrawn then gasped as Nine bit his neck, his hand going there too. "I suppose we are even now." Thrawn had left bruises on Nine and Nine had done the same. At least Nine could hide his if he simply chose not to wear a very short skirt or shorts for a while.

"Aden," Thrawn tasted the name. "I thank you for trusting me with your name, though I think I will continue to refer to you as Nine for now."

Thrawn could think of several family names that could potentially result in a core name like Aden. It was better than nothing. He would have to pass this information along to Stent when they returned.

"We are. I might like mine a bit more than you like yours though," He said, moving to touch the bruises at his thigh. He couldn't see them at the same angle that everyone else could, but he was fairly sure that they were pretty, "I'm quite fond of grabby hands when they're attached to someone I'm attracted to."

That was a very important distinction indeed.

"And of course. Call me whatever you're comfortable with. Names aren't all that important to me, anyway."

Nine. Dee. Keeper. Aden.

He was used to going by many names and none of them were really all that important to him any more. He had even more, too, though Thrawn wouldn't know about those, given that he needed at least a few secret identities.

"Would you like to keep practicing or would you prefer to retire to the crew quarters to rest while I prepare dinner?"

"You may have to look for twi'lek makeup markets to find something in my skin tone. Or my supply officers can see about acquiring something from the Ascendancy." Twi'leks came in all manner of blue shades, including some close to Chiss skin tones. Pantorans tended to be more of a powder blue.

"I think I will rest for now. Let me know if anything requires my attention." With that, Thrawn strode back to the guest quarters, intending to look at the artwork until he settled in for a nap.

"I have contacts in the makeup industry and usually get mine custom made," Aden said, with a shrug. Be it for himself or something for Thrawn should he decide to leave more marks on him in the future, he knew where to turn for concealer or foundation capable of covering it up without smudging any pristine uniforms or fading over a day's wear. While he had been able to find makeup for himself that matched his own skin tone, finding something that gave him coverage without covering up all of his freckles had been more of a challenge and thus had gone about looking for contacts for customs.

Of course he had contacts in plenty of other industries as well, but he didn't think he needed to mention that for Thrawn to know that he was well-connected.

"Will do," He said, heading for the galley to get started on making some food for them both. It would, after all, be a long trip and he wanted to stay busy.

When Thrawn awoke from his nap, the scent of food lingered in the air- signaling that whatever meal Aden was preparing for them was nearing completion, though Thrawn would have to wait until it was set out in the lounge before he got to see what exactly it was Aden was cooking up, given Aden's no entering the galley while I'm in it rule. The clattering of plates being set out by the droids aboard the ship could be faintly heard though, so dinner time certainly wasn't too far off now.

"Why am I not surprised?" What with how much makeup Aden wore at the party. He found himself grateful that he'd skipped the lipstick today.

Thrawn stared at the paintings as he drifted off to sleep, trying to find some clue that he hadn't picked up yet. Other than getting a slightly better idea of how to best Nine in a fight, or another make out session, he had yet to glean further information about the spy.

He awoke later to the smell of a meal cooking, and he had to admit that it whet his appetite. Putting his boots and tunic back on, Thrawn made his way to the dining area, seeing that he'd woken up at the right time.

Food was already being put out by the droids when Thrawn entered the lounge, the seating area having been moved slightly to allow for a more comfortable dining experience. Various sides with a certain Coperan bent to them, even if it was an approximation with available spices and ingredients from outside the Ascendancy. There were freshly baked dinner rolls too that were also apparently adapted from a recipe from Copero.

Aden didn't usually cook food that passed for cuisine found in the Ascendancy, since when he'd tried in the past there had been those who were worried that it might not be fit for humans, but since Thrawn was Chiss too, he felt more confident in breaking out as close to his family's recipes as he could get for their meal- if a tad fancier, given that he was working with fresher herbs and spices and better ingredients than his family had been able to afford when he was young.

Another of his droids came carrying the main dish out, setting it down on the table. Like the sides and the rolls, that too was obviously a take on food from Copero. A few different bottles of wine that would go with the food and a pair of glasses had also been set out. Aden came out from the galley just about the same time as his droids cleared the room, leaving him and Thrawn by themselves. Unlike earlier when his hair had been done up a bit fancier, it was now pulled back into a neat ponytail that suggested that he took as great care about hygiene and keeping hair out of food as he did when cleaning otherwise, too.

"Hope you don't mind Coperan cuisine- as close to it as you can get without actually being in the Ascendancy, anyway."

Thrawn hadn't exactly expected Nine to make anything other what someone might find on a light cruiser mess hall. Certainly, he hadn't expected Nine to go all out with the food and make something that was restaurant quality. Seeing and smelling the food, it filled Thrawn with a sense of nostalgia. It had been too long since he'd had a traditional Chiss meal.

He sat down and waited patiently for Nine, making note of his appearance as he set the food on the table. This was a man who loved to cook.

"It has been some time since I have eaten Coperan cuisine. I am surprised that you were able to recreate it so far from the Ascendancy."

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