"Oh Solo!" ~for PicFic Tuesday May 24th

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

The prompt:

“O sole, 'o sole mio, sta 'nfronte a te, sta 'nfronte a te! Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne, me vene quase 'na malincunia...”

“Napoleon would you please not sing along with the gondolier,” Illya asked through gritted teeth.”You were not born with a pleasant singing voice...let the man do his job."

They were casually moving along in a gondola on one of the many canals in Venice Italy. It was a rare occaion where the agents had some time off post-mission.

Solo flashed his partner that look, the one to let him know he was miffed.

“Gee tovarisch don’t hold anything back."

“I was merely being truthful.”

“Hey we’re in the land of my forefathers; I can’t help myself.”

“Another of your urges you cannot seem to control,” the Russian mumbled under his breath.

“What did you just say?”

“Nothing important. You do not listen to me anyway.”

“Try me,” Napoleon countered.

“Never mind.”

“Come on, what did you say?”

“I said it was yet another of your urges that you cannot seem to control.”

“My aren’t we being a bit testy today," Napoleon crinkled his nose.

“The discussion is about you, not me my friend. Case in point, you better duck.” Illya pointed to the small footbridge  they were about to pass beneath.

An olive skinned signoria wearing a white peasant blouse and floral skirt was hefting a flower pot of red geraniums over her head and aiming it right at the American; cursing him out in rapid fire Italian.

“Maria, Maria, il mio bell'angioletto!” Solo called out to her, though he was ready to dodge just in case.

“Don’t you ‘beautiful angel’ me with your sweet talka, you two-timing Americano! I saw you with that cagnaccia last night!”

“I think she is referring to April,” Illya snickered.

“You’re mistaken Maria, I wasn’t with her...we work together, that’s all.”

“Liar!” The flower pot went flying, just missing Solo as he ducked, and it landed in the water with a loud splash.

Napoleon turned to the gondolier, “Will you make it snappy? She’s reaching for another one.”

The man quickly complied until the shouting and cursing of the woman became a distant echo behind them.

“Oy mate, I want to know,” Mark Slate, who was sitting in silence behind Napoleon the whole time, leaned forward once they were out of range of the revenge of Maria.”Just exactly what was going on between you and my partner last night?”

“Absolutely nothing. All we had was a drink while discussing the itinerary for today,” Napoleon was lying through his teeth. Until now he and April had been able to skillfully dodge any suspicions regarding their on-going intimate relationship.

“Oh is that why she decided to sleep in today. Exhausted she told me she was from a long night.” He gave Solo the stink eye, knowing how the man worked his charms on women. Maybe April wasn’t as immune to them as she claimed to be?

“Mark, you’re reading more into this than necessary. And you, stop laughing,” Napoleon pointed his finger at Kuryakin.”You know you could have been playing the part of the gondolier again, so count your blessings.”

“Oh so you did me such a grand favor then?”

“Well consider it a gift; now you can enjoy the beauty of the Venice canals for once.”

“Oh yes the beauty and the fetid smell. You realize this city is quite literally surrounded by an open-air sewage system.”

“Well that explains why I caught pneumonia the last time I had to jump into the water here. Come to think of it, why didn’t you get sick; you dove into that same so-called fetid water that I did.” *

“Superior Russian genetics,” Illya grinned.

“Yeah right,” Napoleon began to rock the boat.

“Do that again guv and you’ll end up in the drink once more,” Slate warned.

Illya chimed in,” So Mark, since this is your first time in Venice...did Napoleon tell you lunch was on him today?”

“No he didn’t mate. Really?” Slate finally smiled.

“It is? I mean yes, it is.” Napoleon kept from snarling. He knew exactly what Kuryakin was up to; the man was well aware of his affair with April and had kept it secret until now. Being blackmailed for a lunch was a small price to pay for Illya’s silence; still he’d get even with the Russian eventually.

“Yes Mark,” Illya grinned.” I can recommend the Carpaccio with filet cuts of ultra rare beef...wafer thin and coated with peppercorns, it is served with Parmesan cheese and radicchio.  And of course you must try the gnocchi, as well as the famous Venetian dish, Risi i Bisi. It is a simple dish and one of my favorites.”

“If my Italian is right, it’s rice and peas?” Mark asked.

“Yes it is a combination of soup and thick risotto made of fresh peas and cooked with with chunks of pancetta, which is Italian bacon. Now If fish is more to your taste then there is the famous  entree of Baccala’ Mantecato made with creamed codfish prepared in olive oil, garlic and parsley.”

“Cor, that sounds great mate! When’s lunch?” Mark was all smiles now, as was Illya. Napoleon on the other hand had become pensive and distant. Solo was concentrating on something and wasn't lunch.

Kuryakin was very familiar with that particular visage when it came to his partner. Napoleon was plotting his revenge.

Illya would have to be on his guard, but at the moment this was well worth it...

* ref. “The Galatea Affair”

Comments

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Chuckle, yes I wonder whose geraniums she used as ammunition. Glad you enjoyed the story and thanks as always for your great comments!