When inviting him to dance, Thrawn would bow down deep and brush his lips against the back of Eli's hand, light and enticing, before pulling him into his arms.
While meeting as civilians, Thrawn would greet him in the way that gentlemen greet their ladies in some reaches of the galaxy, with a kiss to his hand and a utter of his given name.
While gazing out of the viewport on their warship, he would grasp his hand and raise it to his lips, while they stood side by side in silence.
Before a mission, while outfitted in black armor, a helmet underneath his arm, he would pull the human to where no prying eyes could see, and lift his gloved hand to his waiting lips as they stared into one another's eyes and whispered their promises.
In the heat of passion, Eli's hand coming to rest against his cheek, he would turn into it and press a kiss to his palm.
While they readied to leave the Admiral's cabin, he would press their bodies together cupping his face and connect their lips, hot and heavy distracting the man in front of him. Pressing him up against the wall, and biting down on his neck, listening to the strangled gasps that escaped him. He would pull away and lift his hand for a chaste kiss, a tease, before leaving the cabin and him a disgruntled mess.
Long after Eli Vanto has become Mitth'eli'vanto, he would raise his left hand to his lips and kiss the ring there on his fourth finger, a symbol not only of Eli's human culture but of Thrawn's love.
Thrawn would kiss Eli, his, hand.
Eli: Basic is a difficult language. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.
Thrawn: Please stop
Imperial!Ezra ends up on the ISD Chimaera, found family with dads/mentors Eli Vanto and Thrawn.
OCC Thrawn, Thurfian redemption arc, random idea!
Snow drifted past them all, sticking to their shoes and hair. His nose stung with the prickle of cold, his shoulders ached, and his hands began to numb. But Eli did not notice as he looked up at the face of the former Grand Admiral who stood before him, his head bowed, hands clasped behind his back. His red eyes were closed as tears trickled down the planes of his face, and Thrawn was smiling. A feeling of relief settling in his bones.
A Chiss with a general air of distain and wariness moved forward, an embroidered cloak, a sun on each shoulder, secured with a golden tassel moved forward and into Thrawn's line of sight.
“Exile.”
His eyes lifted up, tears still flowing freely.
“Thurfian, Patriarch. You are the one who called for my exile. Rest assured that whatever lesson you wished to instill in me, I have learned tenfold. I wish only peace upon the Chiss. But I understand our ways.” He fell to his hands and knees. “But please, if you are to kill me, shoot me now, so that I may not know a single more day away from Her.” Thrawn's finger curled around the snow beneath his palms, as if to soak up as much of the cold of his mother world as he could.
Thurfian, the Chiss, took a step back. His red eyes widening by a fraction. His head tilted to the others, military and political leaders alike, before turning his eyes once again to the Chiss before him. His shoulders slumped.
“Mitth’raw’nuruodo …” he stopped, and took a breath, he squared his shoulders, “My brother, you will not die today.” Thurfian unclipped the cloak from his shoulders and…and placed it on Thrawn’s.
“Welcome home, Mitth’raw’nuruodo. Welcome back to Csilla.”
Imagine Thrawn:
You are my flag, Y/N. You are my nation.
Suddenly remembered that Thrawn went from cadet to Grand Admiral in 12 years in a alien hating society. Icon.
Apparently Thrawn being your favorite character because you read all of his books before you even knew he was in "Rebels" is "beyond niche".