section7mfu | Wednesday's Child: Personally Speaking, Part III (Reply)

Illya and April managed to get together for dinner and a movie the following Thursday night. The Russian was glad of it because he and Napoleon were flying to Istanbul the next night on an affair they guesstimated would have them out of the country for at least a week. After the film, they walked back to his place where Illya prepared them both a cup of tea.

As they sat shoulder to shoulder on the couch, Illya put his cup down and turned to face her. “I have something I should tell you: Mark and I had words the other day in the cafeteria.”

“I did hear something through the grapevine, but why don’t you tell me, Darling, what transpired?”

“Not much. Mark told me he knew about our…relationship and he would have your back if something were to go wrong with it.”

April’s eyes widened in surprise. “He actually said that?” At his nod, April shook her head in disbelief. “What did you say? I would imagine you would have perceived that as a thinly veiled threat.”

“I did, but I excused it because he is your partner, after all, and he should feel protective of you. However, I did tell him that was the last time I would be discussing my private life with him. If there is something he wants to know, he can ask you. You are his partner. I consider the matter closed.”

“Good.” She stood and held out her hand. “It’s getting late, Darling. Let’s head to bed.”

The blond smiled and took her hand. “So, does that mean we are going to sleep?”

April smiled and turned toward the bedroom while at the same time putting his hand on her shoulder. “Eventually.”

Two nights later…

Napoleon and Illya were bone tired. They had spent almost all day interrogating two mid – level THRUSH operatives about the Central Committee’s plan to infiltrate and then take over the local government. When they had milked them for all they were worth, they had then followed and intercepted the man both captives had fingered as their superior. Unfortunately, he swallowed a cyanide pill when his apprehension was imminent, essentially leaving them back at square one of their investigation.

As they undressed for bed Illya growled, “It is bad enough I have to share a bed with you because of Accounting’s cheapness, but this thing barely qualifies as a bed.” He dumped his clothes on a chair and crawled onto the slightly larger than twin sized mattress and pulled the sheet to cover himself.

Napoleon finished hanging up his suit, got into bed and then turned off the light. “These are the deluxe accommodations, Tovarisch. It could be worse and has been.” He settled in and got comfortable and placed his hands behind his head. He was just about to drop off when he heard his partner call his name. “What is it, Illya?”

“If, if something were to happen between April and me that caused us to no longer be…friends, I do not want you to inject yourself into it, not officially and not personally.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Illya, I have not been your partner all this time and learned nothing. I will not interfere and I will not allow anyone else to interfere.”

Illya turned from his side onto his back. The room was pitch black and they couldn’t even see each other, even though with the Russian on his back, they were touching from shoulder to hip. It spoke to the intimacy of their partnership that Napoleon did not have to specify who he would not allow to interfere. “Thank you, Napoleon. You are a good partner and a wise CEA.”

Napoleon chuckled, “You must be tired; you complimented me. Get some sleep.” Both men turned so their backs were to each other. “G’night, Illya.”

“Good night.”