Your scent

"They’ve shared a room for years, shared silences, meals, advice, stories.

Eli can’t help but breathe in Thrawn’s scent — Imperial soap, the cool scent of his hair gel, and something that Eli has come to know as just him."

Yes, you guessed right.

This passage is not from one of Zahn's books, but from an extraordinary fanfiction written by Amukmuk, titled "In Your Hands".

For disclosure, the story is an ace —but not aro— take on Eli and Thrawn's relationship.

And it is wonderful.

[Thank you @trisha.clev with all my soul]

Although the quote is new and, let's say, non-canon, I am waiting to write this caption and take this photo since, more or less, forever.

And given that IG doesn't show my posts anyway, it does not matter too much if end up sharing this too late, when half of the world is asleep and the other —the one that does not write geeky posts about the cologne of imaginary tall aliens on Friday evening— is out drinking beer.

~

There are two types of fragrances for a literary character.

The perfume that he or she would wear, and the scent that he or she is.

I already spoke about this elegant cologne that @thenerfherderco associated with Thrawn.

And it is indeed perfect as the perfume he would wear.

He would choose an extremely pleasant, refined, sophisticated scent.

He would not want to stand out too much (he is already, well, BLUE), but he would care to give everyone a feeling of decorum, cultivated taste, without being too frivolous, or —the horror— predictable.

But what scent Thrawn IS?

Our first impression of a fragrance is largely shaped by the top notes. The molecules are small and evaporate quickly. They intrigue and attract, then transition into the headier middle notes, which are forming the soul, the foundation of the perfume. They generally account for the majority of the aroma, hold our attention, acting as a buffer for the more robust base notes. These are made by heavy molecules providing complexity, depth, and a lasting impression.*

So, what scent Thrawn IS?

Top: Polite, Disciplined, Unforeseeable.

Middle: Selfless, Rare, Intense.

Base: Caring, Delicate, Complex.

Can a perfume be all that?

Can a man?