"How low can you go?" For the Short Affair Challenge

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Challenge: The Short Affair

-Prompt Word #2 – Limbo

-Prompt Colour – Black

Author: mrua7

Title: “Jump in the line.”

Word count: Approx. 1000

The Russian was in a particularly black mood and made no attempt to hide it. He was laying in a cushy chaise lounge chair provided by the island hotel at which he and his partner were staying, but he looked about as about as happy as a flea in a frying pan.

None of this was lost on Solo who sat on another chaise beside Kuryakin, though all he did was simply stare at his partner until now.

“I wish you’d just lighten up? Our assignment is over and for a job well done the Old Man gave us a few days leave to enjoy this tropical setting, and you sit here looking miserable.”

Kuryakin cast a frosty gaze back at him.“I am, for the moment so will you please just leave it be...go flirt with a woman will you?”

“How can I when I know you’re not happy?”

“You have never let that stop you in the past.”

“Ouch, miserable and sarcastic. What’s your problem?”

“I have come out to the pool side since you tormented me to do so, is that not enough? If you do not leave me alone then I will go back to my room. Actually that is a good idea and I think I will do just that.”

Illya stood up, though he moved slowly, and deliberately. He was hunched over like an old man.

“Back still hurting you?”

Kuryakin’s glare intensified. “I fall fifteen feet from a hotel balcony and you really need to ask?”

“That’s the thanks I get for showing concern for my partner’s well being. I wanted you to sit outside in the sun thinking the warmth might help your back.”

“Oh... sorry. Napoleon I did not mean to be rude.”

“Apology accepted,” the American smiled as a pool boy arrived carrying a tray with drinks. Solo had ordered his usual scotch on the rocks, but for his partner he’d gotten two vodka-laced tropical drinks, the kind with the little paper umbrellas. “I don’t know what they’re called but I asked the bartender to make them heavy on the vodka.”

“What are in these?” Illya asked the waiter.

“Mostly vodka sir, pineapple juice and coconut rum, triple sec and a splash of cranberry juice.”

“Really?” The Russian canted his said to one side before tasting his drink; he nodded his approval. “Not bad. Perhaps a few more of these will make me forget my back.”

Napoleon looked at the waiter, giving him a wink as he slipped him a tip.

“Keep them coming please?”

“Yes sir!” The young man responded with a cheery smile, once he eyed his gratuity.

In the background a steel drum band with a small brass section kicked in; several colorfully, and scantily clad ladies appeared carrying a long bamboo pole.

The dark skinned beauties called out in their clipped accents for a limbo to start.

It wasn’t hard for Illya to see his partner eyeing one of the women, and she was eyeing the American as well. The writing was already on the wall as far as he could tell.

“Go, have fun. I will continue to lay here and inebriate myself. “He held up his glass in a toast. “Here is to your limbo, whether it be vertical or...horizontal.”

“Tovarisch, I think I will. Don’t go anywhere.”

“I was no longer planning on it my friend.” Illya took a large gulp from his glass, tossing the yellow paper umbrella aside. There was finally a twinkle in in blue eyes.

Napoleon removed his terry cloth jacket, leaving him clothed in only his white bathing trunks; he sucked in his stomach...just in case and got in line. Rocking in place, shimmying his hips to the island rhythms; Solo continued his flirtations with the ladies.

A singer belted out a song to a calypso beat.

“Shake, shake, shake, Senora, Shake your body line.

Shake, shake, shake, Senora, Shake it all the time.

Work, work, work, Senora, Work your body line.

Work, work, work, Senora, Work it all the time…”

The American agent made it through six go rounds as the competition fell to the ground one by one. Each time Solo cleared the bamboo pole, the lovely lady he had his eye on blew him a kiss.

Of course his libido was in full swing, and like a male of the species in a mating ritual, Napoleon strutted his stuff to impress her; not that he really needed to, but it was his ego leading him on.

The competition was down to him and this wiry but painfully skinny fellow to whom the ladies weren’t even giving a second glance. Still Napoleon felt he couldn’t let a 97 lb. weakling show him up.

Mr. Skinny passed under the pole after it had been brought painfully low, perhaps a foot or so.

Napoleon grinned, cracking his knuckles with confidence as it was now his turn. He bent backwards, but something went ‘pop’ and he tumbled to the ground, landing on his backside.

A cheer went up and Mr. Skinny was hailed as the winner, all the ladies flocked to him, leaving Solo struggling to get to his feet.

Napoleon hobbled to the chaise lounge beside his partner and groaned as he fell backwards into it.

“I think I just threw out my back,” he murmured between clenched teeth.

“Here, I ordered you two more scotches,” Kuryakin held one out to his partner. He was on his fourth drink himself.

“Wait…” Napoleon was going to question his partner’s possible intuition. “Never mind. Salute,” he clinked his glass against Illya’s, speaking Italian.

“Tvoye zdorovye,” Kuryakin returned his partner’s wish for health but said it in Russian.

“Tovarisch, I can now really understand why you weren’t too happy. My apologies.”

“My friend, beda nikogda ne prikhodit odna.”

Napoleon hesitated. “Misfortunes never come alone?”

“In your vernacular...misery loves company, would you not agree?”

“True, but this is one instance I...we could have done without the company. So much for our time off on UNCLE’s dime.”

Just then the two women who’d been holding the bamboo pole appeared.

“You two look like you are in need of some tender loving care.” The ladies smiled with just a hint of flirtation.

“Yes, please?” Napoleon and Illya said in unison.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

A very nice scene, thank you. And they even learnt the recipe for what sounds a very potent cocktail.

(That song used to be most popular in these far Antipodes, and not so long ago either.)

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I wanted to use a different song instead of the "Limbo" song. I kept thinking of this one as it was used in the bizarre comedy "Beetlejuice."