Mark walked into the Commissary to get himself a cup of tea and noticed Illya sitting by himself at a table at the rear of the room reading the New York Times. Oh, I didn't know he was back in town. I want to have a word with him. He paid for his tea and strolled towards the blond. "Illya, got a minute?"
The Russian looked up and replied, "Of course, Mark; please, sit." He folded up his paper and sipped some of his coffee. "What can I do for you?"
"Well, Mate, I want to tell you a couple of things. One, April's told me that you two are seeing each other.*
"I am glad you know. Napoleon guessed some time ago that we were.** I did not think it was fair that Napoleon knew and you did not, but April had to be the one to decide to tell you. I assume since you felt the need to tell me you know, that the second thing you want to tell me is an opinion about April and me that you wish to share. What is it?" Illya's facial expression didn't change, but Mark could swear the blue eyes studying him had turned into liquid ice.
Bloody hell, he swore to himself, but it was too late to back off and he really didn't want to, anyway. "My opinion is," he started slowly, "that I think you are a good bloke and April tells me that you two get on well. I hope that continues to be the case."
"I see." Illya leaned forward and folded his hands together on the table. "Tell me, Mark; I am inferring from your words and your tone that you would have an issue with me if April and I stopped getting on well. Am I wrong?"
When the smaller man had leaned forward, Mark had not moved. The tension surrounding the two might have gone undetected if they had been at a regular coffee shop, but sitting in the part of the cafeteria favored by Section IIs, they might as well have been shouting at the top of their lungs. It didn't matter that no one could hear the conversation; everyone knew there was a serious disagreement.
"You're not wrong, Mate. As an agent, my partner is as tough as they come. She always has my back. But as a woman, she has a soft side that can be badly damaged. If you 'urt 'er, I will take it personally because I always have 'er back."
Illya grinned a grin that did not reach his eyes and, if anything, made him look even more dangerous. "I am only entertaining this complete invasion of my privacy because you are April's partner. However, I am only entertaining it this one time. To put your mind at ease, I will tell you that I am not someone to take a woman to my bed who I do not care about; she is important to me. That is all I will tell you. April is free to tell you whatever she wants." He reached for his cup of now cold coffee and drained it. "If you approach me to discuss this aspect of my personal life again, I will be forced to remind you to whom you are speaking."
Mark's eyes widened in surprise. "The Second – in – Command of Section II? You would pull rank on me?"
"Not at all. I would remind you that you are speaking to Illya Kuryakin. You would not like that, at all. Enjoy the rest of your day." And with that, the Russian gathered up his newspaper and rose to leave. As he walked away, some eyes followed him while others remained on the Brit who sipped his tea thoughtfully.
The HQ grapevine lit up like the Fourth of July as everyone waited to see what happens next.
*ref. "Full Disclosure"
**ref. "MFU100 Prompts Chapter 20 "A Teardrop of Knowledge"