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September 2015

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2015 - Illya x Napoleon AO3 Fic Recs

For my future reference, after going through all 12 pages’ worth of the same in the past fortnight. (I have become such Napollya trash. Goodness.)

This rec list is current as of 26 September 2015. 


Author Recs

title | approx. word count
[summary]
Comments:


1. Right now, basically anything by manic_intent. Special shout-out to her three completed fics. (Their fourth is presently a WIP.) Excellent plots, wonderful grasp and feel of the boys’ dialogue, and a Gaby who is a spitfire and an absolute delight to read. 

The Gemini Affair | 46.9k words

In the first month of being co-opted into working with Illya Kuryakin full time at U.N.C.L.E., Napoleon stoIllya’s father’s watch four times, twice out of spite, once out of drunken curiosity, and once out of sheer boredom. After the fourth time, Gaby sprained one of Napoleon’s fingers and threatened to do worse if he did it again.

“You are not a spy,” she told him firmly, dangling the watch out of reach as Napoleon curled in a wincing, fetal position on his Le Corbusier couch in his upstate apartment. “You are a thief with the self-control of a child. Now give me back my ring.”

“What ring?” Napoleon asked innocently, even through the pain.

“How fond are you of your nose?” Gaby shot back blandly.’

Comments: Deliciously plotty case fic with a good, slow burn. It reads like the Istanbul sequel you’d want, with the added bonus of Napollya goodness and a smattering of Illya angst. Kudos to the care taken with the historically accurate detail.

The Trojan Affair | 43k words

Ten minutes to go to ground zero and Artyom was still desperately trying to escape. “I have never attended little girl’s birthday party,” he pointed out repeatedly, and actually pouted, big blue eyes wide and pleading.

“Always a first time,” Napoleon said mercilessly, pulling on a charcoal Tom Ford blazer over his loose gray knit. “Mrs Siegfried invited us weeks ago, Artyom, don’t be a baby. You’ve had quite a while to gird your loins. We’re going to a party, not some sort of trench warfare. Smile.”

Artyom scowled, which was admittedly normally an adorable look even for a tall, blonde Russian giant of a man. “I do not like Mrs Siegfried,” Artyom declared, clearly intent on being as recalcitrant as possible.

Comments: Mr and Mrs Smith AU with a twist, modern setting. Again, excellent case fic. The Napollya push-pull dynamic is beautifully bittersweet. The ending - without giving too much away - is well-earned and does the entire set-up justice. 

Tiger, Tiger | 7.9k words

Napoleon was about to launch into his carefully scripted spiel of punctuated disdain when he hesitated, hands still cupped over the delicate little Soviet-made devices that he had found in his room. There was a faint but unmistakable sensation crawling under his skin, a prickling, restless buzz, like getting light-headed off good champagne, and Napoleon narrowed his eyes, script forgotten, studying an increasingly irritated-looking Illya with a new light.

Illya, on the other hand, had folded his arms. His bowtie looked ridiculous with his suit, highlighting the far too long expanse between his shirt collar and belly, and he was starting to scowl. “What?” he demanded again, a flat curl of annoyance making his tone harsh, and Napoleon nearly flinched instinctively back before all the enforced training kicked in.

Comments: A/B/O fics are my weakness. A/B/O fics with subversion of stereotypes, as well as gender, political and social commentary? Yes, please! Cleverly done, and I like the touches of historical accuracy. 


2. Anything by sosopes. Lyrical writing. Both individual character growth and Napollya relationship development are wholly satisfying. Highlighting two fics in particular:

Dog Years | 10.6k words

llya’s really good with dogs. Napoleon’s more of a cat person, personally, but he’s not about to let that get in the way of them living their life together.

Comments: This fic. THIS FIC. One of my absolute favourites in this fandom thus far, bar none. Remarkable character studies, the boys gradually falling into a relationship, domesticity, the harsh realities of spy work, boys growing old together. (Also, a Gaby who is brilliant.) It’s a quiet, beautiful thing you’d want to curl up with, a fic that gets richer with every re-read, like a good bottle of red wine. Gorgeous.

Through a Looking Glass, Darkly | 12k words

Illya watches Solo work and sees something he was never supposed to see. And then that work follows them all home.

Comments: Lovely mix of action-y bits and character introspection. Boys misunderstanding each other because they refuse to ~talk, but it all works out well in the end. Deals with some themes of internalised homophobia. The entire team are BAMFs too, when the going gets tough. 


3. Anything by ignu. They have a sharp, witty way of writing that delights, and the ability to pack so much in so few words. Highlighting these two fics in particular:

If I Run It’s Not Enough | 5.5k words

Greed, and lust, those were the two sins that defined Napoleon Solo, and Illya Kuryakin aroused the two precise desires in Napoleon he never chose to resist. With his stoic gaze and chiseled jawline, Kuryakin was as beautiful and inscrutable as a Greek statue, and Napoleon had never been one to leave works of art undefiled.

Comments: This pushes so many of my buttons. Friends with benefits tumbling into more, boys being obtuse, boys pining - rendered beautifully with tight writing and characters you can’t help but feel for.  

let’s start fires for heaven’s sake | 2.5k words

“I need you to help me steal something,” Napoleon said.

“It’s urgent?”

Napoleon considered the question. “More or less.”

There was silence over the line, and then Illya drew a sharp breath. “They’re blackmailing you.”

(Or the one where Napoleon tries to steal back his freedom, only to find Illya had already stolen his heart.)

Comments: AU where there is no UNCLE, Napoleon tries to leave the CIA but is blackmailed into staying, and Illya helps him to break free. It is glorious in its brutal intensity. 


Individual Fic Recs

title | writer | approx. word count
[summary]
Comments:


and suddenly i was a lilac sky | thebrotherswinchester |15.3k words

Five missions turn out all right, and one doesn’t.

Comments: A fic that’s an utter thing of beauty. The writing is masterful, the characters are written so very real, the dialogue is pitch perfect and true to the flavour of the movie, the relationship dynamic between the two boys and their journey to their happily every after are worth every gripping word, and the pay-off is well-earned and satisfying. Definitely another favourite of mine in this fandom.

Love in the Times of Cold War | merle_p | 7.8k words

“Don’t blame yourself,” Waverly says, almost kindly. “No one saw it coming.”

Illya looks down at him, surprised and perhaps a little condescending, because he knows better than to blame himself, and he doesn’t understand why Waverly thinks he would. Solo is good at what he does, one of the best, and Illya has always been more than aware that Solo could trick him if he really set his mind to it.

No, Illya does not blame himself for not seeing the signs. If there is anything he should blame himself for, it is that he let himself assume that he wouldn’t have to look for them in the first place. But socialism is a future-oriented ideology, and there is no point in dwelling on the past. Illya has made a mistake, is all. He is not going to make it again.

Comments: Misunderstandings, presumed betrayals, angst, satisfying resolution. This captures the nature of the feel of the Cold War wonderfully, I find. And the boys, when they finally get there in the end, have me sighing happily. 

You’re My Sugar Dandy | gunboots | 1.7k words

“Would you like anything else, sir?” The girl behind the counter, (Gaby, her sky blue nameplate reads) smirks, actively smirks at him. “And no, you can’t have his number.”

“What if I simply wanted to give my compliments? “ Gaby considers him for a moment, then the line of women behind him.

"You got 15 minutes?” Technically Napoleon doesn’t, but he’s not about to go rushing back to Victoria’s fits of rage regardless.

AKA the one where Illya is a hot baker, Napoleon is in love and Gaby is entertained.

Comments: A short and wonderful, feel-good fic. It’s as sweet as the sugary-sweet confections I imagine baker!Illya makes, the writing is wry and humourous, and the ending left me grinning for a couple of minutes thereafter.

Apologies | tricksterity | 3.3k words

“We should tell Gaby,” Illya said.

“Tell her what?” Solo asked. “That we were married and then got divorced, but we didn’t actually do either because the paperwork would’ve led our respective governments straight to our relationship that we’ve been hiding for seven years? That’ll go down well.“

Comment: Most charmingly written. The writer deftly manages the premise without making it feel like it’s been shoehorned in. 

right to my heart | endquestionmark | 2.9k words

Napoleon stops looking at Illya, because that just makes him want to put his foot through the wall, and looks at his gun, which isn’t difficult, because it’s about an inch from his face, and this close he can smell the faint sweet spice of cleaning oil. Instead of looking at Illya — the lines of him held in anticipatory stillness; the bulk of him in the blue half-light — Napoleon looks at the balance of gun and silencer, the heavy slide and the curl of Illya’s fingers on the grip, the angle of his thumb, and waits.

Comment: Gritty writing that does not let you forget for a second that the boys are dangerous spies who live on the edge. The dynamic is delightful.

Future Affinity | ceredin | 4.5k words

The age old trope of taking off their clothes and cuddling to preserve body heat.

Comment: The boys sound delightfully like an old, married couple in this. Sharpy, snappy dialogue and writing all in all. Loved the characterisation too.

haunt | covetsubjugation | 5.7k words

No one remembers Napoleon, except for Illya.

Comments: Dreamy, lyrical writing that introduces an unexpected element of fantasy into the series. Illya’s increasing desperation and slipping control tugged at my heartstrings in all the right places. I am very glad that this fic exists in the fandom. 

Touch Me (Just A Little Bit More) | joidianne4eva | 1.5k words

“I’m going to regret asking this but for the sake of my sanity…are you by chance ill?” Napoleon queried taking a cautious step closer. He kept himself out of striking distance because Illya’s temperament was legendary for a reason and it wasn’t a good reason either.

“If you do not leave, I will skin you alive,” Illya managed and Napoleon would’ve attempted to act suitably scared if Illya’s voice hadn’t cracked in the middle of his threat. As it was all he managed was something that sounded suspiciously like a coo.

Comments: Sick!Illya is adorably reminiscent of a grumpy kitten in this fic, while Napoleon is wonderfully patient and long-suffering. I definitely grinned as I read this.

Cut Out My Heart, For It Belongs To You | fineandwittiee | 2.5k words

Tumblr prompt: Illya used to think Napoleon was just a thief and he didn’t know how to fight cause he could almost choke him to death the first day they met. But one day when the trio stayed in their safe house and Napoleon was cooking in the kitchen, some robbers broke in. Napoleon seemed like he was not gonna do anything and just let them take what they want. But when Illya fight back and one of them shot him, Napoleon held up a kitchen knife and sliced it through that guy’s hand, started taking down every single one of them with just that knife. After that, Illya never underestimate Napoleon again. Especially with knives. Kitchen knives. P/S: “And they said I was scary”, Illya muttered when Napoleon took the bullet out for him that night.

Some intruders shoot Illya. Napoleon does not approve.

Comment: Boys being BAMF-y, with some pretty good dialogue.

Having trouble sleeping? | vaenarys | 2.1k words

He tosses and turns for a while before Illya becomes too annoyed to ignore it. "What now, Cowboy?” he growls.

“I can’t sleep like this,” Solo states and Illya is sure that the other man is pouting, but he can’t bring himself to care. There is a long silence and a few more turns from Solo before Illya decides that he will take the bait.

“Why?” Illya asks with a huff and without much interest.

Solo is bound to have slept with other people in one bed before, given his reputation as a playboy, so what is the problem right now?

Comments: Pre-slash. Cute, fluffy, light-hearted.

To Sleep | Tallihensia | 7.2k words

As they wait to go on their next mission, the team splits up for some rest. Napoleon and Illya end up in the same apartment, which leads to some misunderstandings, some reflections, and later, some sleep.

 Illya yawned again, his stern face relaxing. “Your country has a saying about that…”

 “It’s British. But satisfaction brought him back - that’s American.”

Comments: Another pre-slash, bed-sharing delight. I loved the careful dance between the two boys, and the writer’s way of writing Illya’s voice. 

(conscious) | zvous | 502 words

There’s a tattoo on everyone that states a phrase your soulmate will tell you. Not always your first words, but you will recognize them.

Comments: I first came across this variation of the soulmate trope (which is in and of itself a surefire kink of mine) in the Avengers (Marvel Cinematic ‘Verse) fandom, and it has since grown on me quite. This piece may be really short, but it is also thoughtful, and quietly lyrically in a way that steals your breath all the same. 

Russian Courtship Traditions | tumtatumtum | 5.5k words

Illya does not believe in the old courtship traditions. He does not believe in mates either.

OR

Illya and Napoleon struggle, court each other with misunderstandings, and eventually make it to a bedroom.

Comments: This fic snared me with the promise of A/B/O. (I am such a sucker for this trope.) The boys are adorable in this fun romp.

Sep 26, 2015 302 notes
#tmfu #tmfu fic recs #rec list #napollya #illya x napoleon #ridiculous spies in love
Sep 25, 2015 24,546 notes
#tmfu #tmfu boys #ridiculous spies in love #they are such puppies #napollya #all the feels

wearenotthings:

Raise your hand if you’re convinced Napoleon fell for Illya the moment he saw him trying to stop Gaby’s car on foot in Berlin. 

Raising both hands, because YES.

Sep 25, 2015 63 notes
#tmfu #tmfu boys #ridiculous spies in love #they are such puppies #napollya #all the feels
Sep 25, 2015 1,226 notes
#tmfu #tmfu boys #ridiculous spies in love #they are such puppies #napollya #all the feels
TMFU Fic: If the Truth Has Been Forbidden Then We’re Breaking All the Rules (Illya x Napoleon)

Here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/4863944 (4,600 words)

Summary:

“You know,” Napoleon offered, “that first night you chased us in East Berlin - we weren’t sure that you were human. Not then.”

Or: A Man from U.N.C.L.E. / His Dark Materials fusion fic where everyone has daemons, moving from the end of the Vinciguerra affair in Rome, through Istanbul, and on to what happens (happily ever) after.


Well, that’s done. First fic I’m posting since 2011, first fic in a new fandom, first time making a proper stab at this whole tumblr thing. That feels like a lot of firsts and newness. Frankly, I’m terrified. 

Sep 24, 2015 15 notes
#tmfu #the man from uncle #tmfu fic #napollya #illya x napoleon #napollya fic #my writings #daemon AU fusion fic #how does one even tumblr #help #ridiculous spies in love
Dossiers of Members of U.N.C.L.E. - as shown at the end of the film - Helice - The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015) [Archive of Our Own]archiveofourown.org

TMFU film character profiles, compiled by a kind person on AO3. So much love for all the tiny little details. I mean, backgammon, Solo? Really? And Illya, an Oedipus complex? (Just when you think Illya’s backstory can’t get even more angsty.)

Speaking of Solo, if he was born in 1929 and joined the army in 1945, he would have been 16, not 18 (per Illya’s research), at the time of joining. Did he lie about his age when he enlisted, I wonder. 

Sep 24, 2015 5 notes
#Man from U.N.C.L.E. #TMFU #character backstory #the devil is in the details #Napoleon Solo #Illya Kuryakin #bookmarking for future reference #future fic ideas? #The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Play
Sep 22, 2015 28 notes
#The Man from U.N.C.L.E. #TMFU #Man from U.N.C.L.E #TMFU cast #Henry Cavill #how is this man even real #sign me up for cardio now please
Sep 18, 2015 6 notes
#The Man from U.N.C.L.E. #TMFU #Man from U.N.C.L.E #Illya #wardrobe inspiration #cosplay but not actually cosplay #i love my flat cap #I am such a fangirl
Play
Sep 17, 2015 3 notes
#The Man from U.N.C.L.E. #TMFU #Illya #Illya's hats #omg this man #the hat love is real
first posts are always awkward

Hello, world.

I’ve decided to revive my tumblr after more than 4 years. I blame the new Man from U.N.C.L.E. film, which has inspired more fannish feels than other recent loves. Here’s hoping to actually participating actively in fandom once more, I guess, instead of just reading fic.

Although that said, I must confess that I’m quite terrified: I’ve absolutely no idea how tumblr works. And equally no idea where to begin, 2015!MFU fandom-wise. Ahahaha.

Sep 15, 2015

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External image

Served for dinner today when I had (still have, actually) a friend over: duck braised in orange juice infused with aromatics and spices, oven-crisped smashed potatoes, sauteed asparagus tips, and (unpictured) sparkling cider from Edinburgh which (yet again) nearly took out my eye when I popped it.

It’s not a very good picture, I fear, as the lighting was horrid, but I am immensely, immensely proud of the duck. I usually work only with duck legs, since cooking the actual body evenly requires more effort and time. This was one of the rare occasions which saw me forced to use the latter instead (a duck crown = some strange British way of sellng the trimmed top half of a duck), but if the feedback from the people who ate it is to be believed, it came out beautifully (or, to quote the two people who tried it, ‘very good’) - wonderfully moist and tender and juicy, with a mildly crisped skin (browned the duck before the braising, crisped it after in the oven for a bit).

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