Man from U.N.C.L.E. Section VII

This story was written very early on in my now ten year foray into fan fiction. Illya's phobia about dogs is legendary, and this was my take on it.

Part 1

"I do not wish to accompany you on this mission, Napoleon. I think you should find someone else for this particular assignment". The Russian was standing with a rigid posture, his eyes the icy resolve that made most people leave the room and look for something warm. Napoleon just stared at him, his mind trying to find the key to the uncharacteristic attitude, 'and insubordination' he added.

"Illya, I don't know why you're taking this stance, but it's not like you have a choice. Mr. Waverly has assigned us to this and we're going…together". There, that was the last word on it. Illya just needed to get in line and do his duty, even if it did include facing down some dogs on their trek into the Alaskan tundra.

"You know how I feel about dogs, Napoleon"… The ice was back, and no one needed to head north in order to find it. The brown eyes of the CEA of UNCLE New York met his partner's glare and tossed it back with the knowledge that he was the superior here, the senior agent who had the final say on this discussion.

"I don't know why you have this irrational fear of dogs, Illya. It just…"

( Read more... )

Perhaps I'm inspired by the post ssclassof56 put up yesterday for the What's My Line? Challenge. You really need to check that out and get ready to write.  I'm so bummed that we can't actually do the musical, talk about a good time.
Anyway, I got here in a roundabout way, considering my jam preferences for various food situations.  I recently found some boysenberry jam on walmart.com, something I've been looking for but couldn't find here in Kentucky.  Boysenberries are my all time favorite, something that comes from having grown up going to Knott's Berry Farm, where boysenberry is king.  If you've been there (it's currently an amusement park that, in Orange County, is second only to Disneyland), then you've had something made from boysenberries. At least I hope so.
Okay, I digress...
I made some biscuits this morning so I could indulge in the boysenberry jam, which made me think about my preferences for other foods that get a dollop of something.
Banana Bread needs strawberry jam.
Blueberry muffins... more blueberry, so I made blueberry jam.  I also like a blueberry sauce on pineapple sherbert.
Cornbread muffins, honey butter.
It's a list, my list of preferences.
And that, my friends, reminded me of all of the accounts of Illya Kuryakin putting strawberry jam in his tea.  I know it's strictly a fanfic thing, because I don't think we ever see Illya drinking tea.  But we know he would have preferred it, at least in the beginning.
So, what other preferences do we see or read concerning Napoleon and Illya? What are the little details about their behavior that had, perhaps, small beginnings but then grew into Fanon, that set of absolutes attributed to the writers of MFU fan fiction?
What are those Little Things that make us love these guys?

Alas, poor Illya Kuryakin. The sailor who hates the sea. Thanks to The Shark Affair, we have knowledge of this weakness.
How many stories have featured this little detail? I don't recall it ever coming up again in the series. The number of times Illya ends up in the water is pretty often, swimming like a fish to do some sneaky maneuver and thwart or distract the enemy.
Is the fact (canon fact), that Illya is prone to being seasick an endearing quality? Do we write about it because a weakness makes him that much more human?
What do you think? And, if you write, how often have you drawn attention to a seasick Russian?
While we're on the topic of water, how ironic is it that Napoleon has been cast (thanks to st_crispins I believe), as an experienced sailor aboard his own vessel, but thanks to real life info, remains uncomfortable in the water.
I know it's a Holiday Weekend for a lot of us, but if you get a minute, leave a comment.


photo from Lisa's Framecap Library

Unbelievably, it's been five years since I wrote this.  The dance routine featuring Charlie White (another adorable blond), was the inspiration for the story.  It's joyful, beyond happy.  In my mind, the image of gliding down the corridors of UNCLE HQ just made perfect sense after watching this.
The story is HERE

 Two years ago we did a little Romance Challenge called the Happily Ever After Challenge.  This was my entry, a romantic, ethereal little piece with the blond of our dreams.

Dream of Me in the mfu_map_room