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31_days2015-03-27 10:15 pm
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2015-03-27 10:15 pm
[March 27th] [The Man From U.N.C.L.E.] A Different Point of View
Title: A Different Point of View
Day/Theme: March 27th - I am selfish, private and easily bored.
Series: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (specifically, The Odd Man Affair episode)
Character/Pairing: Mr. Ecks, Mr. Wye
Rating: K/G
By Lucky_Ladybug
After several weeks of training new agent Mr. Ecks, Wye still wasn’t sure what to make of the boy. There were times, every now and then, when he would open up for a brief moment and allow Wye a glimpse of who he was behind the mask. For the most part, however, he was still a serious, closed book.
“What is it with you anyway?” Wye grunted as they played cards one evening. Ecks was dealing.
“What do you mean?” the boy grunted back.
“You’re still making it so hard to get to know you,” Wye said. “You know that isn’t going to go over well when I’m trying to train you and all. There has to be a good understanding between partners in order for them to get anywhere.”
“I understand you quite well,” said Ecks, as he flung Wye’s cards to his side of the table. “As for myself, there isn’t really much to understand that you don’t already know. I am selfish, private, and easily bored.”
He certainly sounded bored, too. Wye frowned at him as he took up his cards. “If you want to stop, we can.”
“I’m not bored of the game—yet. I’m just bored of being interrogated.”
“Well, how else do you expect me to find out anything?” Wye spat in annoyance. “You’re sure right about being private, in any case! I can hardly believe I know all that there is to know about you. I barely know word one!”
“Maybe if I thought you were actually interested in knowing about me, I’d be more receptive to telling you,” said Ecks. “But you’re only interested for professional reasons, and I can promise you that anything important about me from a professional standpoint is something you already know.”
Wye slammed his cards down on the table. “Look, you,” he snarled. “I’m the senior agent and I’ll decide on what’s ‘needed’ to know! You’re just a smarmy, snot-nosed kid. Selfish? I’ll say. And so arrogant that you think you know everything that’s important!”
Ecks noticeably flinched. “. . . I honestly didn’t realize that things such as the books I like or the films I watch would have any bearing on my training,” he said quietly. “I thought that was my own personal business.”
Wye frowned, suddenly feeling bad. The kid seemed to have wilted. “. . . It’s just that you can tell a lot about someone by what they like, what their attitudes are . . . you know. It’s true, you’re quick to learn and you’re efficient, but you’re just so cold that I feel like I don’t really know you. It’s hard for me to have confidence in you when I don’t know you.”
“Efficiency should be all that matters,” Ecks said. “I’m coldly efficient, so you should know that I will come through for you when you need me.”
Wye sighed. “. . . Maybe you’re right. And maybe I really just want to know because . . . well, I’m curious about you. Maybe I kind of wonder why you’re still treating me like a stranger on the outside when you told me you wanted to be my partner.”
Ecks looked down. “I’m so used to people in the organization not really caring about me for myself. Long ago I learned that keeping to myself was the best option. And I know you didn’t really want the assignment of training me. I honestly didn’t think you would even want to know me more than you had to. I’m sorry; I misjudged you.”
“Hey.” Wye reached across the table, grabbing Ecks’ wrist. “Maybe you had a right to close yourself off with me. I wasn’t very welcoming at first, you’re right. I didn’t want this assignment. But I’ve got it and you wanted it and I’d like to make the best of it. And you know somethin’? If I’d had time to adjust to the idea, and if I’d realized from the beginning that it was you they wanted me to train, I might’ve reacted better to it. I liked you when we met before. But I didn’t know, and it all happened so fast, and then it was quite a shock when you walked in so bloody serious. You weren’t how you’d been before at all, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I still don’t, really. I’m an open chap and I like people to be open with me.”
Ecks slowly looked up. “I’ll bet you still keep some secrets, though, don’t you? I’m sure you haven’t revealed everything to me that there is to know about you.”
“Of course I haven’t,” Wye retorted. “I was savin’ a lot of that for . . . if we ever got closer,” he finished slowly.
Ecks had to smirk a bit. “So you were deliberately holding back as well.”
“Because you were holdin’ back and I felt uncomfortable and . . . oh, alright, so I’m just a big hypocrite,” Wye growled.
Ecks looked impressed. “You’re a big man to admit it. But so we both should have been more open with each other. I’m sorry. Shall we start over fresh and see if we do any better the second time around?”
Wye started to smile. “Yeah. Let’s try that.”
****
Wye was typing at the computer, performing another Internet search, when he heard Ecks come up behind him. “What is it?” he asked without turning.
“I just wondered if you were about done there,” Ecks said. “I thought maybe we could relax and play cards for a while or something.”
“That’s fine with me,” Wye replied, pushing back from the desk. “I’m gettin’ tired of this run-around. Whoever said that you can find everything on the Internet never really tried.”
Ecks smirked a bit. “I’ve been thinking about whether or not to go into the private eye business,” he said as he sobered. “I’m wondering if we’re like those chaps who are most alive when danger is present or if we’re old and tired and worn-out of all of that.”
“Speak for yourself,” Wye grunted. “I’m not old. Even if I am past the suggested age for people from U.N.C.L.E. to be field agents.”
“At least that’s been altered so that people who are fit enough to stay on can do so, if they want to,” Ecks remarked. “It used to be that they had to stop at age 40, whether they wanted to or not. But no, I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean chronologically old. I mean . . .” He stepped away from the chair, gazing off into the distance as he thought of how best to phrase it. “Well, sometimes I just feel mentally old, tired, weary. I think I might like to do something more peaceful for a while. But then I think of how what I know best to do is to be a spy. And I wonder if I would really like living a quiet life for very long. I might start feeling restless, like that U.N.C.L.E. agent who was so desperate to get out in the field again that he took on the dangerous job of masquerading as Raymond.”
“Ah.” Wye nodded slowly. “I guess to be honest, I’m not ready to settle down myself. I’m rarin’ to still have somethin’ exciting to do with my life. Maybe that’s why I thought of the private eyein’ thing.”
“Maybe so,” Ecks agreed. “Well, in the end, what I came up with is that . . . frankly, I’m bloody well torn.” He looked to Wye. “Now that I’m free to choose what I want to do, I still can’t decide what that is. But I’m kind of leaning towards the idea of training dogs, at least for a while. At the same time, however, I want to keep working with you. So how about we try to get this private investigating thing off the ground and we’ll both work at it, but part-time I’ll train dogs in the back garden? You might welcome having dogs around once the investigating takes off. They could alert us to intruders.”
Wye considered that. He had to admit, he was relieved. He had known that Ecks wanted to at least experiment with a less dangerous lifestyle and had been afraid that their separate interests would send them down different paths for good. And he really wasn’t ready to give up working with the boy, not after all these years. Or living with him. They had just bought the place and they seemed to be getting along alright being in the same residence.
“Sounds fair enough to me,” he said. “As long as you clean up after those beasts yourself. And don’t let them bark for hours on end.”
Ecks smirked, spreading his hands. “Naturally.”
Wye stood, heading to the card table. “I’m glad you got over that standoffish attitude you had at first.” He paused. “No, I’m glad we both got over it.”
Ecks laughed and followed, slapping Wye lightly on the shoulders. “So am I.”
Wye smiled to himself. Ecks really had changed. Or perhaps not changed so much, but he had grown completely comfortable with showing the real him behind the mask. Wye had, in turn, learned to show all sides of his personality and not just some.
It was nice.
Day/Theme: March 27th - I am selfish, private and easily bored.
Series: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (specifically, The Odd Man Affair episode)
Character/Pairing: Mr. Ecks, Mr. Wye
Rating: K/G
After several weeks of training new agent Mr. Ecks, Wye still wasn’t sure what to make of the boy. There were times, every now and then, when he would open up for a brief moment and allow Wye a glimpse of who he was behind the mask. For the most part, however, he was still a serious, closed book.
“What is it with you anyway?” Wye grunted as they played cards one evening. Ecks was dealing.
“What do you mean?” the boy grunted back.
“You’re still making it so hard to get to know you,” Wye said. “You know that isn’t going to go over well when I’m trying to train you and all. There has to be a good understanding between partners in order for them to get anywhere.”
“I understand you quite well,” said Ecks, as he flung Wye’s cards to his side of the table. “As for myself, there isn’t really much to understand that you don’t already know. I am selfish, private, and easily bored.”
He certainly sounded bored, too. Wye frowned at him as he took up his cards. “If you want to stop, we can.”
“I’m not bored of the game—yet. I’m just bored of being interrogated.”
“Well, how else do you expect me to find out anything?” Wye spat in annoyance. “You’re sure right about being private, in any case! I can hardly believe I know all that there is to know about you. I barely know word one!”
“Maybe if I thought you were actually interested in knowing about me, I’d be more receptive to telling you,” said Ecks. “But you’re only interested for professional reasons, and I can promise you that anything important about me from a professional standpoint is something you already know.”
Wye slammed his cards down on the table. “Look, you,” he snarled. “I’m the senior agent and I’ll decide on what’s ‘needed’ to know! You’re just a smarmy, snot-nosed kid. Selfish? I’ll say. And so arrogant that you think you know everything that’s important!”
Ecks noticeably flinched. “. . . I honestly didn’t realize that things such as the books I like or the films I watch would have any bearing on my training,” he said quietly. “I thought that was my own personal business.”
Wye frowned, suddenly feeling bad. The kid seemed to have wilted. “. . . It’s just that you can tell a lot about someone by what they like, what their attitudes are . . . you know. It’s true, you’re quick to learn and you’re efficient, but you’re just so cold that I feel like I don’t really know you. It’s hard for me to have confidence in you when I don’t know you.”
“Efficiency should be all that matters,” Ecks said. “I’m coldly efficient, so you should know that I will come through for you when you need me.”
Wye sighed. “. . . Maybe you’re right. And maybe I really just want to know because . . . well, I’m curious about you. Maybe I kind of wonder why you’re still treating me like a stranger on the outside when you told me you wanted to be my partner.”
Ecks looked down. “I’m so used to people in the organization not really caring about me for myself. Long ago I learned that keeping to myself was the best option. And I know you didn’t really want the assignment of training me. I honestly didn’t think you would even want to know me more than you had to. I’m sorry; I misjudged you.”
“Hey.” Wye reached across the table, grabbing Ecks’ wrist. “Maybe you had a right to close yourself off with me. I wasn’t very welcoming at first, you’re right. I didn’t want this assignment. But I’ve got it and you wanted it and I’d like to make the best of it. And you know somethin’? If I’d had time to adjust to the idea, and if I’d realized from the beginning that it was you they wanted me to train, I might’ve reacted better to it. I liked you when we met before. But I didn’t know, and it all happened so fast, and then it was quite a shock when you walked in so bloody serious. You weren’t how you’d been before at all, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I still don’t, really. I’m an open chap and I like people to be open with me.”
Ecks slowly looked up. “I’ll bet you still keep some secrets, though, don’t you? I’m sure you haven’t revealed everything to me that there is to know about you.”
“Of course I haven’t,” Wye retorted. “I was savin’ a lot of that for . . . if we ever got closer,” he finished slowly.
Ecks had to smirk a bit. “So you were deliberately holding back as well.”
“Because you were holdin’ back and I felt uncomfortable and . . . oh, alright, so I’m just a big hypocrite,” Wye growled.
Ecks looked impressed. “You’re a big man to admit it. But so we both should have been more open with each other. I’m sorry. Shall we start over fresh and see if we do any better the second time around?”
Wye started to smile. “Yeah. Let’s try that.”
Wye was typing at the computer, performing another Internet search, when he heard Ecks come up behind him. “What is it?” he asked without turning.
“I just wondered if you were about done there,” Ecks said. “I thought maybe we could relax and play cards for a while or something.”
“That’s fine with me,” Wye replied, pushing back from the desk. “I’m gettin’ tired of this run-around. Whoever said that you can find everything on the Internet never really tried.”
Ecks smirked a bit. “I’ve been thinking about whether or not to go into the private eye business,” he said as he sobered. “I’m wondering if we’re like those chaps who are most alive when danger is present or if we’re old and tired and worn-out of all of that.”
“Speak for yourself,” Wye grunted. “I’m not old. Even if I am past the suggested age for people from U.N.C.L.E. to be field agents.”
“At least that’s been altered so that people who are fit enough to stay on can do so, if they want to,” Ecks remarked. “It used to be that they had to stop at age 40, whether they wanted to or not. But no, I’m sorry, I didn’t really mean chronologically old. I mean . . .” He stepped away from the chair, gazing off into the distance as he thought of how best to phrase it. “Well, sometimes I just feel mentally old, tired, weary. I think I might like to do something more peaceful for a while. But then I think of how what I know best to do is to be a spy. And I wonder if I would really like living a quiet life for very long. I might start feeling restless, like that U.N.C.L.E. agent who was so desperate to get out in the field again that he took on the dangerous job of masquerading as Raymond.”
“Ah.” Wye nodded slowly. “I guess to be honest, I’m not ready to settle down myself. I’m rarin’ to still have somethin’ exciting to do with my life. Maybe that’s why I thought of the private eyein’ thing.”
“Maybe so,” Ecks agreed. “Well, in the end, what I came up with is that . . . frankly, I’m bloody well torn.” He looked to Wye. “Now that I’m free to choose what I want to do, I still can’t decide what that is. But I’m kind of leaning towards the idea of training dogs, at least for a while. At the same time, however, I want to keep working with you. So how about we try to get this private investigating thing off the ground and we’ll both work at it, but part-time I’ll train dogs in the back garden? You might welcome having dogs around once the investigating takes off. They could alert us to intruders.”
Wye considered that. He had to admit, he was relieved. He had known that Ecks wanted to at least experiment with a less dangerous lifestyle and had been afraid that their separate interests would send them down different paths for good. And he really wasn’t ready to give up working with the boy, not after all these years. Or living with him. They had just bought the place and they seemed to be getting along alright being in the same residence.
“Sounds fair enough to me,” he said. “As long as you clean up after those beasts yourself. And don’t let them bark for hours on end.”
Ecks smirked, spreading his hands. “Naturally.”
Wye stood, heading to the card table. “I’m glad you got over that standoffish attitude you had at first.” He paused. “No, I’m glad we both got over it.”
Ecks laughed and followed, slapping Wye lightly on the shoulders. “So am I.”
Wye smiled to himself. Ecks really had changed. Or perhaps not changed so much, but he had grown completely comfortable with showing the real him behind the mask. Wye had, in turn, learned to show all sides of his personality and not just some.
It was nice.