I enjoyed this very much. It touches so many parts Illya played as an U.N.C.L.E. agent, changing all the time. I remember thinking, years ago, that for a Scotsman, David McCallum favored the Grand Duchess a great deal. :)
Also, this neatly fills my Illya/Baryshnikov need very nicely.
From: Sue Date: 10/15/2004
I loved this story - thank you for writing it and writing it well! i loved your stronga nd graceful Illya who has no idea how gorgeous he is, and Napoleon's lack of arrogance for once, graciously admitting his partner's superiority in the spying arts of lying and pretending.The sex was good for me too! Good fun and really nice work... keep writing 'em.
From: Karin Date: 10/13/2004
What a fantastic story! Oh to see Illya in those "tight" tights! Would love to have heard the reviews that ballet performance!
From: Meris Date: 10/13/2004
"Me, I'm always who I am, no matter what. I'm Napoleon in a funny hat, or a moustache, or a different suit."
"He was glad of the darkness. He sounded like an idiot."
I think you've expressed more clearly here something that lurks in many people's writing in a much more murky fashion, which is that in spite of all the role-playing they get to do, Napoleon can be acutely self-conscious in a way that Illya doesn't seem to be; he has a much higher capacity for embarassment.
But I was disappointed, in a way, by the resolution of "Show me who I am". Sex is wonderful, sex is good, as Michael sings, but your stories aren't just about sex and this answer to Napleon's question was. When you've taken the time to craft your story on a non-sexual plot that pulls in the rest of the MfU elements - this was disappointing. It seemed to say that Illya was showing Napoleon who he was only on a sexual level, that he's his partner but only through a sexual congress, as though that's all Napoleon is. And he's not.
One thing I really do like in your stories is that Illya's just as sexed as Napoleon, unlike a large number of stories where Napoleon tends to have the expert knowledge and brings Illya along, willing or unwilling. In this story Illya takes some/most of the sexual lead, has the ideas, and Napoleon's no shrinking flower either, and it works wonderfully, as balanced play.
And I so understand about not writing to deadline! Sith's muncle challenges have sown many wonderful seeds which frequently take more than two weeks to really grow. I'm so glad you ran with this one! Thank you for writing it. Please write more!
From: Shay Date: 10/13/2004
What a wonderful, wickedly funny and sexy ride. Go Dancer!Illya and Taxman!Napoleon. What a combo. What sheer fun this is.
