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section7mfuShort Affair 5/16
Prompt: Regret
Color: Yellow
Title: Regret, part IV
Author: Rose of Pollux
Word Count: ~800
(This is the conclusion of an early-days WIP here, here, and here; the first part is gen-mature for injuries, but the remaining parts are gen). This ties in to my Baron arc, which takes place early in the partnership, but the "Regret" series is technically separate from it.
It was another several days before Illya was ready to go back out into the field again. Napoleon had patiently waited and helped him to this point, and was happy to see that Illya didn’t seem any worse for wear after his ordeal.
Despite that, it irked him that the ones who had tormented Illya had not faced repercussions for what they had done to him—nor, indeed, had Napoleon himself. He had confessed to Waverly immediately upon their return that Illya’s abduction had been his fault—that it had been his being distracted that had caused Illya to be taken. And he stood in front of Waverly’s desk, preparing to face the music.
But Waverly merely gave him a look and puffed on his pipe.
“Well, Mr. Solo, I trust that it shall not happen again.”
“Absolutely not, Sir.”
And that had settled everything, as least as far as Waverly was concerned. Napoleon had been expecting a reprimand, at the very least, but it seemed that the other shoe wasn’t going to drop.
“Well, then; I do believe that is the end of it.”
“Sir…?”
“Mr. Solo, it is clear to me that you deeply regret the events of that unfortunate evening. Mr. Kuryakin has sustained no permanent damage, nor does he blame you for any of the unpleasantness he has endured.”
“…And I’m grateful for that, Sir,” Napoleon said. “But, under the circumstances, are you certain that you don’t think it would be better for me to work alone—or have Illya partnered with someone else?”
“I think things should remain as they are,” Waverly replied, calmly. “I assigned Mr. Kuryakin as a partner to you for a reason. It’s best for all of us if the two of you carry on with your original plan of apprehending the Baron of THRUSH.”
“…Yes, Sir,” Napoleon said, at last.
And, indeed, as he rejoined Illya on their next assignment, it was clear that the Russian was acting as though his ordeal had never happened. And, as they pursued their quarry—a small satrap a few hours outside of the city, Napoleon began to fall back into his element.
The duo had snuck into the satrap with relative ease; though the Baron wasn’t here, they were hoping to pick up a clue as to where he might be headed next.
But it was as they peered around the corridor and saw a THRUSHie head into a room that Illya suddenly drew in a quiet, but panicked breath.
“You alright?” Napoleon asked, in a whisper.
“…Da, I am,” Illya said. “It’s just that I recognized that man.”
“Really? I’ve never seen him before…” Napoleon trailed off, and then glanced back at Illya. “…He’s one of the ones who tortured you, isn’t he?”
Illya didn’t answer, but his silence spoke volumes. Napoleon exhaled and began to approach the door, Special in hand.
“Napoleon, no…!” Illya whispered, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back into the shadows. “I told you about how they don’t know that I am an U.N.C.L.E. agent! If you wish to catch up to the Baron, you cannot allow them to link you to me--and that means not engaging unnecessarily with them!”
“Don’t you worry your pretty, yellow head,” Napoleon assured him. “I can be in and out of there before he even knows he’s been tranquilized.”
“But you will likely draw the attention of others here!” Illya said. “Please, Napoleon, don’t do this! You have worked too hard to just throw away everything you have now—and for what? For me? For vengeance because you feel as though this is the only way you can make it up to me? Napoleon, you are a better man than that. You know that we must focus on the mission—that there is no time for personal vengeance.”
And as the American looked back at the Russian, he suddenly realized what Waverly had meant when he had assigned Illya as his partner for a reason—not just because he was capable of keeping up with Napoleon every step of the way, but also that he could keep him grounded—and that Napoleon would respect and care about him enough to listen.
Napoleon glanced once more at the door he had seen the THRUSHie escape through and turned back to Illya.
“Let’s keep looking for the Baron’s itinerary,” he said.
Illya smiled and nodded, and he quickly followed by the American’s side. And Napoleon reflected on how it wasn’t just Illya’s reminder that they had to focus on the mission that convinced him to change his mind so quickly. The whole reason Illya had been taken the first time was because Napoleon had not been there for him when he needed to be—because he had not been where he was supposed to have been.
He wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.
Prompt: Regret
Color: Yellow
Title: Regret, part IV
Author: Rose of Pollux
Word Count: ~800
(This is the conclusion of an early-days WIP here, here, and here; the first part is gen-mature for injuries, but the remaining parts are gen). This ties in to my Baron arc, which takes place early in the partnership, but the "Regret" series is technically separate from it.
It was another several days before Illya was ready to go back out into the field again. Napoleon had patiently waited and helped him to this point, and was happy to see that Illya didn’t seem any worse for wear after his ordeal.
Despite that, it irked him that the ones who had tormented Illya had not faced repercussions for what they had done to him—nor, indeed, had Napoleon himself. He had confessed to Waverly immediately upon their return that Illya’s abduction had been his fault—that it had been his being distracted that had caused Illya to be taken. And he stood in front of Waverly’s desk, preparing to face the music.
But Waverly merely gave him a look and puffed on his pipe.
“Well, Mr. Solo, I trust that it shall not happen again.”
“Absolutely not, Sir.”
And that had settled everything, as least as far as Waverly was concerned. Napoleon had been expecting a reprimand, at the very least, but it seemed that the other shoe wasn’t going to drop.
“Well, then; I do believe that is the end of it.”
“Sir…?”
“Mr. Solo, it is clear to me that you deeply regret the events of that unfortunate evening. Mr. Kuryakin has sustained no permanent damage, nor does he blame you for any of the unpleasantness he has endured.”
“…And I’m grateful for that, Sir,” Napoleon said. “But, under the circumstances, are you certain that you don’t think it would be better for me to work alone—or have Illya partnered with someone else?”
“I think things should remain as they are,” Waverly replied, calmly. “I assigned Mr. Kuryakin as a partner to you for a reason. It’s best for all of us if the two of you carry on with your original plan of apprehending the Baron of THRUSH.”
“…Yes, Sir,” Napoleon said, at last.
And, indeed, as he rejoined Illya on their next assignment, it was clear that the Russian was acting as though his ordeal had never happened. And, as they pursued their quarry—a small satrap a few hours outside of the city, Napoleon began to fall back into his element.
The duo had snuck into the satrap with relative ease; though the Baron wasn’t here, they were hoping to pick up a clue as to where he might be headed next.
But it was as they peered around the corridor and saw a THRUSHie head into a room that Illya suddenly drew in a quiet, but panicked breath.
“You alright?” Napoleon asked, in a whisper.
“…Da, I am,” Illya said. “It’s just that I recognized that man.”
“Really? I’ve never seen him before…” Napoleon trailed off, and then glanced back at Illya. “…He’s one of the ones who tortured you, isn’t he?”
Illya didn’t answer, but his silence spoke volumes. Napoleon exhaled and began to approach the door, Special in hand.
“Napoleon, no…!” Illya whispered, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him back into the shadows. “I told you about how they don’t know that I am an U.N.C.L.E. agent! If you wish to catch up to the Baron, you cannot allow them to link you to me--and that means not engaging unnecessarily with them!”
“Don’t you worry your pretty, yellow head,” Napoleon assured him. “I can be in and out of there before he even knows he’s been tranquilized.”
“But you will likely draw the attention of others here!” Illya said. “Please, Napoleon, don’t do this! You have worked too hard to just throw away everything you have now—and for what? For me? For vengeance because you feel as though this is the only way you can make it up to me? Napoleon, you are a better man than that. You know that we must focus on the mission—that there is no time for personal vengeance.”
And as the American looked back at the Russian, he suddenly realized what Waverly had meant when he had assigned Illya as his partner for a reason—not just because he was capable of keeping up with Napoleon every step of the way, but also that he could keep him grounded—and that Napoleon would respect and care about him enough to listen.
Napoleon glanced once more at the door he had seen the THRUSHie escape through and turned back to Illya.
“Let’s keep looking for the Baron’s itinerary,” he said.
Illya smiled and nodded, and he quickly followed by the American’s side. And Napoleon reflected on how it wasn’t just Illya’s reminder that they had to focus on the mission that convinced him to change his mind so quickly. The whole reason Illya had been taken the first time was because Napoleon had not been there for him when he needed to be—because he had not been where he was supposed to have been.
He wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.
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