“Lost & Found” by Kellie Matthews (NC-17)

[laughingacademy.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya, Illya/Marion Raven; refs to Illya/OMC, Napoleon/various
Author on LJ: kelliem
Author Website: http://kellie.mrks.org
Why this must be read:

It's a new story by Kellie Matthews! I first encountered her fics in the due South fandom, but when I began reading Man from U.N.C.L.E. I was delighted to learn that Fraser/Kowalski wasn't the only witty brunet/blond pairing in her literary harem.

This story follows Napoleon and Illya's relationship from their first meeting (when Illya all but literally trips over Napoleon while bugging the venue of an upcoming THRUSH summit) to their official pairing as partners. During this period their feelings deepen from instantaneous respect and affection to true friendship and trust — and meanwhile there's what Napoleon refers to as "that elephant in the room we're pretending not to notice," i.e. the blazing sexual attraction.

Kellie puts the dashing duo in several classic slashfic situations: there's a lot of hurt/comfort, a Canadian shack of sorts (actually a long-forgotten yet fully stocked bolt-hole), the ol' hypothermia cure ("the warm hands continued their roaming, down his neck, over his shoulders, down his arms, back up again, down his chest..."), massages, psychotropic substances ("Give me your arm." "I can't. It doesn't come off"), a trip to Paris, and a bathhouse ("I'll take you and hold your hand so you are not frightened by any golyye babushki [naked grandmothers] who will not be there anyway on a Thursday night"). She also works in references to characters (including Angelique, Harry Beldon, and Satine) and scenes from various Affairs, which will delight U.N.C.L.E. cognoscenti but won't prevent readers less familiar with the series from enjoying the story.

Lost & Found

Note: This story is also archived at the Chrome and Gunmetal Madhouse.