Eli did not belong on the Blood Crow. Or rather, he didn't belong in his current job on the Blood Crow. Supply officers worked on ships too, even if they were more numerous on supply stations. One problem: Eli was not acting as a supply officer. He was the aide to a weapons officer. This was not what Eli had joined the navy for.

Now over a month past graduation, Thrawn continued to twist Eli's straightforward life into a maze. Eli couldn't even be happy when Thrawn dragged him into the supply rooms of the cruiser because Thrawn had no intention of following room organization procedure. He didn't log acquisitions or store them according to appropriate classifications. No, he used the supply rooms as a workspace for smuggled Clone Wars artifacts.

Why did Eli put up with this man? He had options. He could report Thrawn to Captain Rossi. Transfer request petitions existed. Eli could put an end to this little career experiment whenever he wanted.

He paced back and forth in the supply room, eyes scanning the shelves for the tool Thrawn had requested. Eli made his displeasure known. "You know sir, screwdrivers wouldn't be hard to find if people who used the supply room followed GRMC Rule 70."

Thrawn responded from across the room. He was kneeling on the ground in an attempt to piece a Sepratist droid back together. "What rule might that be, Ensign?"

"The Galactic Republic Military Code was established at the beginning of the Clone Wars, but it drew language from Judicial codes prior to the enlistment of the clone army. Rule 70 governs the layout of supplies in military supply rooms. It has an entire decimal system, with specifications made for the mandatory stock to be kept on every kind of ship."

"Was the Blood Crow in compliance before we began our activities in this room, Ensign?"

Eli grimaced. "No, sir."

"Do you expect it to follow code after we have completed our project?"

"...Prior deviations from protocol are no reason to keep breaking it."

Thrawn pinned Eli in place with his gaze. "Yet despite the unorthodox layout of this supply room, the Blood Crow is able to maintain herself and serve her Empire effectively. Would you agree, Ensign?"

Eli felt heat rushing to his cheeks. He told himself it was out of frustration. "If the supply officers kept these shelves organized, I would be able to find your screwdriver. Do you want me to do that for you, sir?"

"...Ah, no need." Thrawn reached into a container on the bottom shelf to his right. Out came the tool Eli had been searching for. "My apologies for wasting your efforts, Ensign."

Eli clenched his teeth to keep a groan from escaping. He needed a new assignment. Fast. "Our shift ended an hour ago. I'm getting food from the mess."

He passed Thrawn on his way out. As Thrawn shifted to get out of Eli's way, he briefly lost his balance. A large, hot hand caught Eli above the knee. Thrawn's fingers were long and surprisingly slender as they established their grip. Eli squeaked at the sudden contact.

Thrawn met Eli's gaze before releasing him slowly. His palm dragged along the outside of Eli's thigh as he let go. "Forgive my reach, Ensign. I did not mean to startle you."

Eli gulped. "It's… no problem, sir. I'll see you later."

"Of course."

His pace quickened as he left the supply room. Once Eli stepped outside the supply room, the heat seemed to drop back down by a few degrees. Something must be wrong with the temperature regulation on this ship.

So… maybe there was one reason Eli hadn't asked to be transferred yet. After losing touch with his Myomar friends, Eli wasn't as confident in his plans for the future as he had once been. Now that he knew Thrawn a little better, he was starting to notice some upsides to their odd partnership. Said upsides just happened to rank fairly low on Eli's priority list. They didn't originate in Eli's head. Rather, they popped into it at the most inopportune moments.

Eli did not want to sleep with his commanding officer. He didn't. He was just lonely, and confused, and young, and… looking for a direction in life. Thrawn managed to be so confident in his ambitions that it inspired Eli in the wrong sort of ways.

After collecting his dinner for the night, Eli searched the mess hall for a place to sit. His eyes landed on Lieutenant Stooun, the senior supply officer. Eli may not appreciate her organization habits, but she was a kind woman. Wisps of gray hair stuck up from underneath her cap, and she gave him a wrinkled smile as he stood in front of the seat across from her. "May I join you, ma'am?"

"Be my guest." Stooun gestured for him to sit. "Are you and Lieutenant Thrawn still making a mess in my supply room?"

Eli sighed, then nodded. "Thank you for letting us use your room as a workspace."

"Think nothing of it. I don't care for what your lieutenant is doing, but I also don't want to hear the captain's thoughts on the matter." Stooun pursed her lips, deep frown lines replacing her smile. "Rossi's a… new kind of captain. The kind the Empire likes nowadays. She's driven, yes, but… I don't know. Maybe she isn't so much young as I am old."

Eli had never asked Stooun's age, but he assumed she was in her late fifties. Early sixties at most. "Hey, we young officers aren't all bad."

"Not all of you, no." Stooun took a sip from her drink. "Lieutenant Thrawn isn't young, is he? You two graduated at the same time, but he's older. Thirties… forties, perhaps?"

"Something like that."

"He has a wisdom that comes from experience. Not Imperial or Republic experience, but experience nonetheless. You aren't wrong to admire him."

What? Could Stooun see through Eli? Stooun had been around for a while, but that didn't mean she could read minds. Eli tried to deflect. "I think he's amazing, but I'm not sure working for him is the best way I can serve. I was in training to become a supply officer before I met Lieutenant Thrawn."

"I would have been happy to have you as a supply officer under me," Stooun admitted. "Our military service may be in support of a greater cause, but your career is your own. It's up to you to safeguard it. I've seen soldiers wed themselves to a superior officer before. Some officer capes are long enough to ride coattails on these days. Yet somehow, I think you can do better. You're a clever man in your own right, Vanto."

Eli blinked. The only other crewperson to acknowledge Eli as an individual was Thrawn. Everyone else saw Eli as an extension of his superior. "Uh… thank you for the advice, ma'am. It's nice to get another opinion."

"You're welcome. I may not have a stake in your future, but I believe in your abilities. It's on you to figure out where your skills will do the most good." Stooun hesitated, then continued. "Just don't have too much faith in the Blood Crow's datapushers. I put in a request for planetside work due to declining health weeks ago. Had the medic sign off and everything. Still haven't heard anything back."

"I'm sorry to hear about your health, ma'am. Are you okay?"

Stooun waved his concern away, tension collecting in her jaw. "Don't fret about me. It's nothing you or I can fix."

After that, Stooun changed the subject to food. She and Eli had a few laughs about the quality of ship rations before her departure from the mess hall. It was a pleasant evening. Eli even forgot about his career crisis for a few hours.

Sadly, Eli woke the next morning to find all his problems present and accounted for. Thrawn started their day in the supply room by finding new ways to get Eli worked up. Instead of putting parts and tools back in their boxes when he wasn't using them, Thrawn elected to leave everything strewn out on the floor around him. No one could walk past him without tripping.

"Sir, if you're really going to insist on doing your own repairs, the least you can do is move your project to an actual workstation. We aren't the only people who use this room."

"Are you certain of that, Ensign? We have been undisturbed here for the duration of our project."

Eli grit his teeth to keep the insubordination back. "Just because we haven't had any visitors so far doesn't mean we won't in the future, sir. Keeping so many valuable objects on the floor is a safety hazard."

Thrawn glanced up at his halo of spare parts. "Perhaps." With a few sweeping motions, he cleared a path in his mess for Eli to walk by. He did not get off his back or up from the floor.

Eli kept his eyes on Thrawn as he slipped past the man. The way the older man's body stretched across the floor was… cause for an accident. At any moment, those long, corded arms could reach across the aisle, not knowing Eli was walking through. Eli would fall forward, his face landing between two blue, powerful legs. Legs their Imperial uniforms failed to hide the shape of.

He felt his ears turn red. Thrawn was going to ruin Eli one day. The longer Eli spent in Thrawn's company, the less confident he was in his ability to prevent that future.

It was another long day in the supply room. Thrawn spent their whole shift obsessing over a single broken droid. No matter what Eli offered to do for Thrawn, he was not permitted a moment of escape from the messy, overheated supply room. There was not a single chance for Eli to catch his breath or… do anything else that would make focusing on his work easier.

Near the end of that day, Thrawn finished his repairs to the relic. The only step left was to test it. Instead of turning the droid on right away, Thrawn set his project aside. He sat up in his place on the floor, back cracking as he stretched it out. The sound caught Eli's attention.

When Thrawn noticed Eli's eyes on him, his expression shifted to a different flavor of neutral. One Eli was not familiar with. "Thank you for your assistance in my endeavors, Ensign. I understand this project was not one you would have undertaken yourself."

Eli sensed this was about more than the droid repair. "You're welcome, sir. You've… since I've known you, I've done a lot of things I never thought I would."

"You are capable of more than you know, Ensign." Thrawn leapt to his feet. He took a few small steps toward Eli. "With appropriate motivation and proper guidance, you can achieve great things."

Did Eli want to achieve great things, was the question. He'd never been one to fantasize about being chosen. Back on Lysatra when children his age had dreamed of becoming Jedi, Eli had imitated his father at the docking bay, hunching over his ancient abacus and planning fictional delivery trips. His neighbors rarely played with such a boring child.

Thrawn didn't wait for a response before he continued. "Now that I have spent sufficient time in your company, I believe I have a proper sense for what drives you."

And what was that? A love of neatness? A need for things to make sense? Eli stuttered, words dying on his lips.

Thrawn stood so close to him now. Eli felt the edge of a supply bin dig into his shoulder as he backed into the shelf. Thrawn towered over Eli. His lithe, muscular frame blocked the room's light from reaching Eli's face. The glow of his eyes reflected on Eli's already-red skin.

Long, slender fingers collected under Eli's chin. Thrawn bent down, the tease of a smirk on his lips. "May I?"

"Uh…" Eli's chin pushed down against Thrawn's fingers. It could have been a nod.

Thrawn didn't wait for a clearer sign. He dove into Eli's mouth, pushing past his lips to deliver a searing, sensual kiss. Eli rushed to match Thrawn's energy, half out of enthusiasm and half in defense. Eli's hands slid over Thrawn's chest and stomach, satisfying a curiosity Eli had harbored for months.

Eli's brain shorted out. At the same time, his body came alive. The kiss he returned followed two sets of rules: instinct and Thrawn's. Considering Eli hadn't kissed much before, the second force was far more prominent.

When Thrawn pulled back to catch his breath, Eli leaned forward after him. A thin trail of saliva kept their lips connected. He sensed Thrawn was about to dive back in when the door slid open behind them.

Thrawn shoved Eli to the side, determined to hide evidence of their recent activities. Eli faced away from the door as he wiped his face and adjusted his tunic. He did his best to hide the tent that had begun to form in his pants.

Eli turned back around, stifling back a sound of surprise when he came face to face with Lieutenant Stooun. "Ma'am. Can we… help you?"

Stooun's gaze roved over Eli's disheveled form, a knowing glint forming in her eye. "Lieutenant Thrawn. Your aide told me last night that you were almost done with your project in my supply room. Have you been able to finish today?"

Thrawn's arousal was nowhere near as obvious as Eli's. His blue cheeks looked a tad purple and that was it. "I have, Lieutenant Stooun. I thank you again for allowing the ensign and I to work in this room."

"I'm glad to hear it, Lieutenant. You finished at a convenient time. The captain has just requested all bridge officers to convene in the conference room next to her office."

Thrawn nodded. "Then I also thank you for summoning me. Shall we attend together?"

"Go on without me. I'd like to clean up a bit here first. It is my duty to keep the supply rooms tidy, after all."

Thrawn accepted Stooun's explanation without question. He made his way out of the supply room. When Eli moved to follow him out, Stooun caught him on the arm.

He grunted. There were a lot of hands latching onto Eli these days. "Ma'am… what-"

"I know what I walked in on." Stooun waited until Thrawn was out of the room to release Eli. She tilted her head, a look of concern. "We talked last night about you wanting to leave this vessel. Is this why?"

Eli shook his head. "It had nothing to do with this. This… is new."

"Did you want 'this'?"

Eli faltered. "I don't know."

Stooun folded her hands together, pressing them against her lips as she mulled over her options. "I'll let you figure your wants out first, then. Even if I told you not to do this, I don't have the power to make you listen. Tell me tomorrow if what happened today went against your will. If it did, then I will help you fight it. I know how."

Eli smiled, wanting to reassure the older woman. "Thanks, ma'am. I think I'll be okay."

She shook her head. "Tell me tomorrow if you are. You'll be more sure then."

Stooun said nothing else as she and Eli cleared the floor of equipment and tripping hazards. They walked into the meeting together less than a minute before it started. As Eli took a seat near the foot of the table, Thrawn broke away from his conversation with Captain Rossi to sit next to him.

Rossi began the meeting with an announcement. "As I assume command of this ship, I recognize and honor the contributions of those who have served faithfully prior to my arrival. Lieutenant Stooun, if you would stand."

Confused, Stooun complied.

"In your years of service to both the Republic and the Empire, you have been exemplary. The Blood Crow is loath to lose you to the pull of planetside work, but we understand the time has come for you to take the next step. You will serve the Empire best from our base on Vialul. Your transfer has just been approved, and they request your departure be immediate."

Stooun blinked back a look of shock. "This is… exactly what I've been waiting for. Thank you, Captain."

Rossi nodded. "We thank you for your service, Lieutenant Stooun. You may sit. For our next order of business, we must discuss…"

Wow. What a sense of timing. Was it wrong for Eli to feel relieved that Stooun was leaving? She may have been trying to help him, but Eli had kept his feelings for Thrawn secret for months now. Now that he finally knew they were reciprocated, he wasn't ready to let anyone else know.

Because no matter how hard Eli tried to deny it, he did like Thrawn. Any doubts he may have had evaporated in the heat of their kiss earlier. Eli wished it hadn't ended so quickly. Maybe he could convince Thrawn to give him another once their meeting was over?

Eli could figure out how to belong on the Blood Crow. He brought his skills to the Empire. The Empire decided how best to use them.

Truly, he had nothing to worry about.


A/N's: This chapter is not what I wanted it to be. Unfortunately, this is the chapter I have the least inspiration for. I have sat on it and rewritten it too many times, but I need it to establish Eli and Thrawn in a romantic relationship, or else the jump into the third chapter is too jarring. The third and fourth chapters are the ones I'm excited for the most.

Also, I don't have as much time for fanfiction as I used to. Between school, my three jobs, and my extracurriculars, I am pushing myself to my IRL limit. I feel like I'm losing touch with the reasons I wanted to do certain things in the first place, and I don't know how much longer I can push myself the way I am. Fanfiction is a solace for me, and I don't want to lose it.

But enough about me. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and beware the (incoming) Ides of March!