A Simple Gift
"Napoleon?"
"Yes?"
"What is this on my desk?"
"It's called a present. Since it's Christmas, you could call it a…Christmas present."
Illya sighed and placed the cup of coffee he had gotten from the cafeteria on his desk. He folded his arms across his chest and continued to stand next to his desk staring at the small box like he expected it to attack. "I did not ask for a present," he stated.
Napoleon laughed, "No, you didn't and you would be considered quite rude if you did. I saw that in a shop window last night while I was out on a date and it made me think of you so, I went out at lunch and got it for you. It's your first Christmas in America but, not your first Christmas, surely." At the Russian's downcast look and silence, Napoleon put down the report he had been reading when Illya came in and said, "You were in Europe studying at the Sorbonne and Cambridge! The last time I looked, Christmas is celebrated in both France and England. You must have had friends or acquaintances, at least, who gave you presents. Or some young lady you wanted to charm so you bought her a little trinket of some kind?"
"No."
The brunet's eyes widened slightly and the smile faded from his lips.
Illya shrugged and sat down. "I was not there to socialize; I was there to learn." He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out two sheets of paper and a sheet of carbon paper. "I have to type up my half of the mission report."
Napoleon shoved a legal pad onto his partner's desk. "There's my half of the report. As long as you're typing yours…"
Illya turned the pad around so that he could read what Napoleon liked to refer to as his "handwriting," Cats write more legibly, he thought as he rolled the paper into his typewriter. He looked up at his superior when he realized he was still being scrutinized by him. "Yes?"
Napoleon leaned forward, placed his elbows on his desk, clasped his hands together and placed his chin on top of them. "You are telling me, Agent Kuryakin, that you have never given or been given a Christmas present?"
"That is correct, Sir," Illya replied formally. He was feeling slightly off – balance. Is he making fun of me? As the first and only Soviet UNCLE agent, he had found himself the butt of jokes since arriving in New York, many of which he did not understand. No one dares to say anything while I am in the company of the Chief Enforcement Agent; I thought Napoleon Solo was above such childish behavior but, what if that is the façade he wants the other Section Two agents to see while he ridicules me privately?
"Napoleon."
Illya started. "Excuse me, Sir; what did you say?"
"I said 'Napoleon' as in, I told you to call me Napoleon. I may be your Senior Agent but, I am also your partner. We're a team. It won't work if I'm pulling rank all the time. Tell me what you were thinking."
The Russian flushed. "I was…wondering why you were asking me about Christmas presents. I thought you might be making fun of me or…feeling pity for me."
Napoleon shook his head and chuckled. "I will admit I was taken aback when you said you have never received a Christmas present before but, believe me, I was not making a joke or feeling sorry for you." He pointed toward the wrapped package on Illya's desk with his chin. "It's Christmas Eve; open it."
Illya smiled shyly and reached for the small box that was covered in gold foil with a green bow on top. He removed the top and uncovered a silver keychain with a medallion attached. He lifted it out of the box to take a closer look. The letters "IK" were engraved on one side and "1st" was engraved on the other. He looked at the broadly smiling man seated across from him and his eyebrows raised up until they disappeared underneath his bangs. "This reminded you of me?"
Napoleon said, "I said it made me think of you. I saw it and it made me think of how you looked around your apartment the first time I took you there and how you told me that it was the first time you were going to live by yourself with no roommates and no surveillance. I remember how you looked at your front door key when I handed it to you; like it was the most important thing you had received since coming to America. I know you keep your key in your wallet and I just thought if it means that much to you, it needs to be on a keychain that distinguishes it as something meaningful."
Illya stood up to remove his wallet from his back pocket. He fished out his key and placed it on the keychain. He looked at it lying in his hand and then gently tossed it as if testing its heft. He placed his key in his right pants pocket, returned his wallet to its place and then smiled and sat back down. "Thank you, Napoleon," he said in a voice full of emotion, "This is indeed my first."
"Christmas present?"
"Present."
Napoleon was shocked but, said nothing in response. I am so glad I decided to buy that for him. I like him. Our partnership seems to be working out and it appears our friendship is off to a good start, too. Instead, he smiled and replied, "You are welcome, Illya. You are more than welcome."