"Never give up, never surrender"~ for the Short Affair Challenge

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Challenge: The Short Affair

-Prompt Word #1 - Admire

-Prompt Colour – Gray/Grey

Author: mrua7

Title: “Never give up, never surrender”

Word Count: Approx. 875

You had to admire a man like Napoleon Solo; he was a charmer with the ladies, no, a better description was that he was a real ladies man who was a magnet for their attentions.

As he walked the grey corridors of U.N.C.L.E. headquarters in New York City, he turned heads as near giddy women fluttered their eyelashes in an attempt to flirt with him.

He wasn’t attracted to any particular type of woman, only one that was pretty, fairly intelligent as well as willing to be wined, dined and wooed.  There was no shortage of those sort of ladies both inside and outside of the Command, in a way he sometimes took that fact for granted.

His partner, the ever stoic blond Russian Illya Kuryakin, unwillingly charmed the ladies with his boyish good looks, captivating blue eyes and an impish smile that he flashed ever so rarely. Like with his partner, the ladies were drawn to him like moths to a flame, only to be burned by his rebuffs which were sometimes considerate, but oft times rude.

He tried to  distance himself from the ladies at work, and was a bit more discerning in his dating habits. Illya had some bad experiences in the past that colored his thinking when it came to the fairer sex.  Oh he liked women very much, but unlike his partner he tended to date less frequently.

“Good Morning,” Kuryakin greeted Solo as he walked into their office.

Napoleon had just hung up the telephone receiver and didn’t look too happy.

“Why the long face my friend? It is a beautiful day outside; all the megalomaniacs and lunatics seem to have taken time off and for once all is right with the world.”

“You’re just a little too chipper today tovarisch.”

“What, I can not have a good day?”

“Where were you last night? Got in awfully late didn’t you?”Napoleon cocked an eyebrow.”Did you get lucky?”

“Excuse me?” Kuryakin’s expression remain placid, yet there was a modicum of surprise.

“Don’t give me that wide eyed look...you got laid last night didn’t you?”

Illya promptly sat down at his desk, and inserted a triplicate report form into the roller of his typewriter. “I did not know you were keeping tabs on me; that is a bit much do you not think?”

“Clicky click click click click…click,” he began typing away, not answering the question.

“Illya did you or did you not?”

“A gentleman does not kiss and tell, unlike you who insists on recounting to me the finer points of your nocturnal adventures.”

“Sorry about that, I never realized it bothered you. I’ll endeavor not to bore you with the sordid details in the future.”

Kuryakin snickered.” They do not bother or bore me, they are just simply things that I think that one should keep to one’s self. So that being the case as a gentleman, I will not tell you whether or not I got as you call it...laid last night.”

“So you’re saying I’m not a gentleman?”

“I said no such thing. To each his own, and I choose not to speak of any intimacies.”

Napoleon laughed out loud. “So you did get lucky!”

Illya pursed his lips in frustration. Napoleon was the only man who could wear him down, for the simple reason that Solo was relentless and would pester him incessantly until he caved in with the truth.

“Fine if you must know, I did. How you can wheedle this information out of me yet I can resist the machinations and tortures of T.H.R.U.S.H. is beyond my comprehension.”

“Because you’re my friend and sharing is caring,” Napoleon quipped.

“Oh is that it,” Illya finally laughed. “So now what was the bad news you just received when I walked in. It was bad news, was it not?”

“If you must know…”

“Please, enlighten me. As you said, sharing is caring,” Illya continued typing away.

“I was just turned down on my sixth try for a date tonight.”

“What, your bevy of beautiful admirers have abandoned you?”

“Apparently so. Would you care to join me for dinner so I don’t have to waste reservations for two that I made months ago at a very exclusive restaurant.”

“You made this reservation but did not have a date set?”

“I figured I’d wait to see who tickled my fancy. So since I’m not having much luck, would you care to have dinner with me?”

“Sorry, I have a date.” Illya pulled the report from the typewriter with a flourish, separated and signed the copies. He folded original, tucking it in his jacket pocket and stood up.

Solo was sitting there with his mouth hanging open. “You have date?”

“Better close that; I hear it is a good way to swallow a bug if you do not.” Illya headed out the door, not saying another word.

Napoleon, unwilling to accept defeat, picked up his black book and started dialing another telephone number.

“Never give up, never surrender,” he swore.

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Yes that competition thing is still there despite them being the best of friends. Thank you and glad you enjoyed the tale.