"Revenge is a dish best served cold" for the Impromptu PicFic

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

I'm a little late with this. Haven't been on LJ much this week. Thanks to Hypatia's posting that brought it to my attention.

As the doors to the elevator opened, Napoleon Solo cautiously stuck his head out before exiting. He looked left and then right, seeing the coast was clear but still he paused to listen for footsteps coming either way.

“Napoleon,” Illya said,”what the devil is wrong with you? You are as nervous as a mouse in a room full of cats.”

“Nice simile and yes, a cat with very sharp claws.”

“Ahhhh, which woman is it now?”

“Veronica.”

“The one from the secretarial pool with the big...blue eyes, among other things.”

“Oh so you’ve actually noticed her tovarisch?”

“It is physically impossible not to do so with her attributes,” Illya smiled

“Then why didn’t you ask her out?”

“Because my friend, my instincts told me otherwise.”

“Well I wish you’d given me a heads up because I read her all wrong,” Napoleon finally took one step from the elevator.

“And how could I do that? You date women like you change your clothes, no forethought just an impulsive choice.”

“Ahhh, but what a choice,” Solo grinned.

“Are you speaking of your clothing or the women you date?”

“Both,”Napoleon winked.

“NAPOLEON SOLO!” A woman’s voice shrieked. It was Veronica in all her bosomy glory and she looked as though her breasts were about to burst forth from her blouse.

Napoleon stepped back into the elevator, pulling Illya with him. He hit the ‘close doors’ button just as the furious blonde reached them.

They could hear her shouting on the other side, but her voice faded as the elevator after Illya hit the button for the third floor.

“Illya we’re supposed to go to Mister Waverly’s office.”

“Which we will do,” the sly Russian answered.”Taking us to the third floor will send Veronica on quite a pursuit up the stairs...which I suspect she will do, in the meantime once we arrive at the third floor we will return to the floor we just left and go directly to the conference room.”

“Very tactical of you tovarisch, thank you. If I didn’t know better I’d say I’m rubbing off you.”

“I would hardly think that. You are not the only one capable of a little strategy. Now what are you going to do about Veronica? You can not keep running away from her here in headquarters. What exactly did you do to her?”

“I stood her up...it was an accident; I got my dates mixed up; the actual date and not my other umm dates...and you’re right I can’t keep avoiding her; I suppose a peace offering is in order. Do me a favor, after our meeting with the Old Man, I’m going to order a dozen red roses to be delivered to Del Floria’s. If you could take them to her in the secretaries' office, give her my apologies and tell her I’d like to make it up to her. Tell her I was involved with tying up some loose ends of an assignment and lost track of time.”

Illya signed. “A lie will come back to get you, I think. Why do I have to be your messenger boy? Would it not be better for you to make your own apology?”

“I’d rather not create a public scene, bad enough she was screaming at me through the elevator door.”

“Fine I will do it for you, but you will owe me.”

“What else is new,” Napoleon chuckled.

After the meeting with Waverly Illya delivered the flowers as promised.

“Given with an apology from my partner for his egregious behavior. He hopes you will forgive him and he would like to make it up to you by treating you to dinner at the exclusive 21 Club tonight. I myself will drive him there to ensure he arrives on time to meet you.”

“Oh he couldn’t deliver all this himself? Well I don’t accept his apology and you can tell him to shove his roses where the sun doesn’t shine along with his dinner invitation.

“Veronica, they are such beautiful flowers, and it would be such a shame to waste them,” Illya turned on the charm.” Perhaps there would be a better way to exact your revenge?”

She canted her bleached blonde head to one side.“Oh really? I’m listening.”

Illya leaned in close to her and whispered his suggestion.

Later that evening Napoleon waited patiently at the club for Veronica to arrive. After Illya assuring him she graciously accepted the flowers and the invitation, he was confident there wouldn’t be a scene.

He’d wine and dine her and if something developed later, that would be good, but it wasn’t necessary. Just a nice quiet, and perhaps a romantic dinner with good conversation would suffice for once.

Eight o’clock passed, then nine, finally it was quarter to ten. Napoleon realized he’d been stood up.

Illya suddenly appeared as he’d been sitting in the bar all this time. He told his partner he was in the mood to have a few drinks and would leave once Veronica arrived.

“What happened?” Kuryakin asked.

“I guess she’s giving me a taste of my own medicine. Well, I’m starving, would you care to join me for dinner tovarisch? The chef was going to prepare Beef Wellington with asparagus and Hollandaise sauce and glazed baby carrots, and the dessert...well I was told it would be something special."

“Sounds delicious. I accept.” Illya seated himself.“I guess it was a bit of fair play on Veronica’s part;  they say revenge is a dish best served cold.”

Napoleon’s instincts kicked in when it came to his partner. “Hmmm, rather convenient of you to still be here to join me for dinner.”

“Convenient? Would say more fortuitous. I had not eaten dinner myself and was quite famished.”

“So famished that you chose to drink on an empty stomach?” Napoleon squinted at his partner. “You’re sure you delivered the message and the flowers?”

“Of course I did!” Illya acted indignant.

A moment later one of the waters approached the table with a small silver tray in his white-gloved hand. Sitting atop it was a folded piece of paper.

“Mister Solo, beg pardon for the intrusion but this message just arrived for you.”

“Thank you Carl.” Napoleon unfolded the paper and read it aloud.

“Dear Napoleon, just a little tit for tat.” It was signed Veronica and there was a PS: “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

He slowly raised his eyes, staring at Kuryakin. “Illyaaaaa.”

Illya quickly rose. “Umm, I am not hungry after all. See you tomorrow.”

He took off, leaving Solo to eat his meal alone.He knew his partner wouldn't create a scene in his favorite restaurant.

Rather than letting Illya’s little ruse get to him, Napoleon requested his dinner to be served and prepared to eat it alone when he spotted a gorgeous brunette a few tables away, looking quite distraught.

Solo rose from his table and approached her. “Are you all right? Is there something I can do for you?”

“My date stood me up; I’ve never been so humiliated in all my life!”

“What a coincidence, the same thing happened to me. If I may be so bold as to ask you to join me? My name is Solo, Napoleon Solo.

“Margot Fontaine, and ...and I’d be delighted to join you.”

“See, the night isn’t a disaster after all,” he flashed her his charming smile.

Right now he was going to concentrate on getting to know Margot; he'd figure out a way to get even with Illya another day...

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

I think actually Illya made a very win-win-win solution, and had earned his Beef Wellington. And that's a nice ending about the brunette and her identity. Good dialogue, too.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think after his impromptu dinner date with Margot, Napoleon just might see fit to not get even with his partner for his shenanigans.

So Veronica wins, Illya though missing out on a nice dinner gets away which is definitely a win, and Napoleon wins too by meeting Margot. So you're right a win-win situation all around.