MFU blurb

Written for today’s short affair prompt at Section VII.

Summary:
In which Napoleon learned that not everyone appreciates the natural beauty of the world around them–but, thankfully, Illya does.

Notes:
There are two versions of this piece.  This is the light slash
version (also cross-posted to AO3).  There is a gen version on my
dreamwidth if you’d prefer reading that.
The two blurbs are around 95% similar.

                                                  *June 29, 1949*

“Come on, Solo, what’s this big surprise you have planned
for us?”

“You’ll see, Norm,” Napoleon said with a grin, as he drove
out of the city outskirts.  He had
insisted on driving four friends to see something that he insisted was going to
be an amazing sight.  “You and Chip have
been so impatient about this whole thing.”

“You know, the night is young—there’s a lot we could do,”
Chip countered.  “Isn’t that right,
Brodie?”

“Yeah,” Brodie grunted.  
“So, if this is you taking us to a special showing of Casablanca again in the next town, I
think I’ll pass.”

“It’s not Casablanca
again,” Napoleon promised.

“Then it has to be–” Norm began, but Napoleon cut him off.

“It’s not Hamlet
either,” Napoleon added, rolling his eyes.
“What about your guess, Takeshi?
You’ve been quiet.”

Takeshi shrugged good-naturedly, ready to go along with
anything Napoleon had in mind; unlike the other three, who had become friends
with Napoleon upon starting high school, Takeshi had been a friend since
elementary school, and had been grateful when Napoleon had refused to abandon
him upon joining the in-crowd led by Norm, Chip, and Brodie.  Chip and Brodie rarely spoke to Takeshi; Norm
never did.  But Napoleon refused to leave
him behind.

Napoleon now brought the car just off of a dirt road near a
small pond.

“Look at that,” he said, with a grin.

The sun was setting, dyeing the sky and clouds a bright
pink.  Around them, over the pond and in
the grass, dozens of fireflies glowed around them as they signaled to each other.

“…What exactly are we supposed to be looking at?” Chip
asked.

Napoleon glanced back at him in disbelief.

“Are you serious?” Napoleon asked.

“Yeah, Chip, isn’t it obvious?” Brodie said.  “Out-of-the-way spot like this?  You can bring a date up here—park the car and
get some kisses in–”

“…No,” Napoleon muttered, resisting the urge to
facepalm.  In hindsight, perhaps it had
been pointless to try to get those three to appreciate the natural beauty; at
least Takeshi seemed to be enjoying the sight.

Napoleon sighed and put on a cheery air.

“Yeah, that’s right—a secret little romantic spot.  But, ah, don’t be coming up here too much,
got it?”

“Eh, it is a bit out of the way, anyway,” Norm said.  “Plenty of places in town.  But it’s a cool find, Solo—now how about
getting us to the diner for some sodas?”

“Sure,” Napoleon said, and even as he pulled the car away,
Norm, Chip, and Brodie quickly forgot about the place and the sight, ignoring
the beautiful sunset and the dazzling fireflies.

Takeshi took a look back, and then, in the front passenger
seat, spoke so only Napoleon could hear–

“For what it’s worth… I liked it.”

Napoleon gave him a quiet thanks.

                                                    *June 29, 1969*

Napoleon had learned very quickly how to read people—and
how some bridges were better off being burned.
He hadn’t heard from Chip or Brodie (or made any effort to reach them)
since graduation.  He hadn’t made any
effort to keep in contact with Norm, either, but Norm had crossed paths with
Napoleon and Illya not too long ago—Norm’s immense distrust and dislike of
Illya, solely based on his Russian origins, had caused Napoleon to burn that
bridge a second time—and had himself wishing he’d done it sooner, realizing all
too late that Norm’s snubbing of Takeshi in high school had been the exact same
thing.

As for Takeshi himself, Napoleon was still in touch with
him; he had gotten into space science and worked at Cape Canaveral—and they had
worked together on a mission when THRUSH had attempted to sabotage a NASA
launch, and U.N.C.L.E. had responded by sending Napoleon and Illya to
help.  Illya and Takeshi had gotten along
fabulously—talking about quantum physics at first, though it had been more than
a bit embarrassing when the two changed topic and began swapping their stories
of Napoleon.

Takeshi was also strongly supportive of Napoleon and
Illya’s relationship—he’d figured it out just by watching them, noting that
Napoleon had never looked at any woman the way he constantly looked at Illya.

And, just before Napoleon and Illya had to return to New
York, Takeshi had taken Napoleon aside.

“Show him the sunset and the fireflies,” Takeshi had
suggested.

And so, a week later, when they were on leave and visiting
Napoleon’s parents, Napoleon drove Illya out to the pond one evening, and the
wonder and joy on the Russian’s face as he saw the fireflies under the sunset
was everything Napoleon had hoped to see.

“Napoleon, this is beautiful,” he said.  “Thank you for showing me this!  You are fortunate to have grown up with this
place nearby.”

And Napoleon just smiled.

“Not half as fortunate as I am to have you as a partner,”
he insisted.

“I could say the same,” Illya said.

And it was true, for the both of them.

Illya now snuggled against Napoleon’s shoulder, and
Napoleon gave a long look at his partner.
Illya smiled again, and the two of them came together in a long,
passionate kiss.  The summer breeze blew
around them.

Wow, Napoleon thought.  This is a great romantic spot!  Brodie
was actually right about one thing!  …Who
knew…?

His thoughts went elsewhere as they continued to kiss—as
the fireflies continued to dance around them.