Tell me about Valentine's Day

It is said that one should keep one's allies within view, and one's enemies within reach. [...]

But what of friends?

There is no accepted answer, perhaps true friendship is so exceedingly rare. But I had formulated my own.

A friend need not be kept within sight or within reach. A friend must be allowed the freedom to find and follow his own path. If one is fortunate, those paths will for a time join. But if paths separate, it is comforting to know that a friend still graces the universe with his skills, and his viewpoint, and his present. For if one is remembered by a friend, one is never truly gone.

Eli read the entry a second time.

Then, with a sigh, he shut down his datapad.

He still didn't know why Thrawn had left him his journal.

Perhaps he'd seen it simply as history. Perhaps he's seen it as one final opportunity for training and instruction.

Or, perhaps the reason was encompassed somehow in that final entry.

Yesterday evening, while preparing my very-deserved Valentine's Day hot chocolate, I could not help but take this photo of my brand new adorable chubchub plushes by @penguinfairycrafts.

Perhaps, it is romantic love.

Perhaps, not.

This is, probably, into the reader's eyes.

But there IS love.

A LOT of love.

Over a year since he'd spoken to his onetime commander and mentor. [...] Thrawn's encouragement right now was just what he needed-

"Good day, Lieutenant Vanto," Thrawn said. [...]

Eli froze, his own readied greeting freezing in his throat.

That was it? "Good day, Lieutenant Vanto?" All the long months since their last meeting, and that was all the greeting he got? [...].

He started as the death troopers silently closed in around them, feeling his growing bewilderment and resentment disappear into understanding.

Of course - Thrawn was merely being formal here because of the urgency of the situation and because there were strangers present. Once they got someplace more private, that stiff and proper exterior would surely open up.

So, humor me, today.

"Lieutenant Vanto, tell me about Valentine's Day".