Infiltration (Thrawn x Reader)

Chapter 11 - Cards and Tempting Death

He nodded thoughtfully. "I agree." He continued to stare at me for a while, and I flashed him a sweet smile.

"Do you like me?" He gave me a look that said he was confused by the question, but dutifully answered.

"I do," he said almost cautiously. I shifted until I was straddling him.

"Really?" I asked, enjoying his perplexed reaction.

He squinted his eyes at me. "Yes," he said, and I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck, meeting his gaze.

"Why?" I probed, still playing with him. Such a serious man.

To my amusement, his face scrunched together in thought. "Because, you're an excellent warrior, and leader-"

I cut him off, mock offended. "That's it?" I hadn't really expected him to answer.

He looked at me sternly, probably mentally scolding me for interrupting. The look sent chills down my spine and heat to my belly.

His hand reached up and stroked my cheek. "I also find you to be quite beautiful, despite being a human." I laughed, smacking his chest lightly. The heat spread lower.

"For a human?"

He shrugged. "I'd never found one attractive until you boarded my ship." I rolled my eyes. Despite myself, I liked when he sweet talked me.

"Oh yes, my Imperial garb is what got you, wasn't it?" He gave me a small smile.

"You weren't in uniform. You're never in uniform. Actually, your hair caught my attention first."

I chuckled, and gave him a skeptical look. "My hair?"

"Imperial regulations require you to wear it in pinned back braids. Yet, you wear it in various buns most of the time. I've only seen you wear breads a handful of times."

I grinned at him. "Tarkin told me once that if I wasn't such an excellent agent, he'd make me cut my hair. After that, I never wore braids in front of him again. He never commented further, so neither did his officers. And I note, neither do you." It was true. Tarkin wanted me to cut my hair, and one day, he said he wished he could do it himself. So I'd made a point to stand out even further, and for some reason, he never mentioned it again. Maybe he just hated braids, I don't know.

"Interesting." He paused. "You also have an almost regal air to you. It reminds me of my people. The Chiss are..." he thought for a moment.

"Stuck up?" I asked jokingly. At first, he looked surprised. Then he looked thoughtful again. I tried to shove my instinctual reaction to his words back down, relaxing. Regal.

"I was going to say noble or proud, but, you aren't completely wrong."

"Well, I just think you're hot," I said with a little giggle. His regal comment was really throwing me off, and I no longer wanted him to analyze me.

"Hot?" he asked, slightly confused. I dropped my forehead to his chest and laughed.

"Attractive," I finally told him when I'd settled down. One of his eyebrows raised.

"Really?" Gods, I loved when he said that word, his lips wrapping around the second syllable like silk. "And, you thought that when you first saw me?"

I scrunched my face up and looked at the ceiling. I couldn't remember, but I didn't think it was my first reaction.

"I don't recall that being one of my first thoughts, no." But, I was meeting an enemy, after all.

"No?" he asked.

I gave him a hazy look and traced a finger across his lips. My mouth opened slightly as I watched the skin on his lips give slightly to my touch. Then, I met his eyes.