Fic Update
I thought it was time to let Napoleon out of the bathroom. ^-^
Title: The Tell-Tale Dream
Author: aneuhaus
Rating: NC/17 (but not yet)
Pairings: That would be telling!
Warnings: Slash
Part Six
Jason Palmer’s office, once a warm and friendly room, now felt suffocating.
Could it have been just that morning that the day had seemed so bright and alive with hope?
Now Napoleon was in dire need of something to subdue the amusement park that had taken up residence in his stomach. He reminded himself that he had been in worse places. At least here he was, physically, safe enough that he could allow himself the luxury of exploring his thoughts and feelings. He settled into the plastic chair once more; the crick in his back telling him that his next visit would be to Sven, U.N.C.L.E.’s most sadistic and, therefore, most thorough masseuse.
“I trust you had a good lunch,” Palmer greeted warmly. “We’re almost finished, Napoleon. Are you ready to proceed?”
Napoleon nodded his assent, so Palmer continued. “We have one last section, and then I want to close with a final point.”
“This section begins all the way back with your companion inside the store. I only found the word ‘companion’ in one text and, instead of a definition, it referred me to ‘date’. I almost didn’t bother, because there is no indication that you are romantically involved with the person in your dream. I became intrigued, though, and looked, to find that ‘date’ indicates that romance is in the air.”
“Now we move again to the alley, where I was interested in the man who was selling things out of the lockers. Once again, there was no definition for ‘selling’, and I was referred to the word ‘seduction’; which is, in essence, what selling is. Very simply, ‘seduction’ is an expression of sexual desire.”
“We spoke earlier about the pillows. In addition to the first meaning we discussed, I found this word in a second book, which described it simply as referring to ‘pillow talk’. This I construe as sharing secrets with someone about whom you have romantic ideas. I also contemplated the fact that you described the pillows as fuzzy, as well as pink and red. The word ‘fuzzy’ brings to mind softness and warmth; and the colors pink and red are most commonly, at least in this country, associated with St. Valentine’s Day - a day that is set aside to celebrate romantic love.”
“At some point in the narrative, I don’t recall exactly where, you refer to the figure as ‘my’ glowing man. I can’t help but believe that the use of ‘my’ is telling, in this instance, in that you already think of this person as ‘yours’”.
“Then there is the fact that you said that, after he enters the hole in the house, you are certain that he is still there, even though you can’t see him. I probably spent longer on this aspect of your dream than any other, because feelings and impressions are the most important facets of dream interpretation. My deduction is that, even when this person is not physically with you, he is still in your thoughts and your heart; and he will be a part of you forever, no matter how far apart you may be.”
“The one symbol we have not yet discussed explicitly is the hole in the front of the house. I researched this word extensively, and came up with a blank. With further reading and a bit of logic, however, I did formulate a hypothesis, but I will warn you that it may upset you. Do you want to hear it?” Palmer challenged.”
Napoleon wanted to say ‘No’. He wanted to stand up and walk out, never to return; anything to keep from hearing what Jason had to say. His mouth was dry, his head was pounding, and he felt sick; but he had come this far and he simply had to know. Unable to force words through is constricted throat, he nodded his head.
“Okay,” Palmer rejoined in a ‘you-asked-for-it’ voice. “Remember that the house denotes how you see yourself; so you see yourself as having a small hole that is covered over, or needs to be opened. This figure, in your own words, glides into the hole, although you don’t think it is large enough for him to fit. Also keep in mind that he goes up, which indicates resistance. Napoleon, do I need to…?”
“No, no, I think I understand your point.” Napoleon looked at him with the eyes of a rabbit staring down the beak of a hungry owl. “Can I, uh, have a minute?”
Palmer smiled compassionately and quietly exited the room. Napoleon lowered his head, covered his face with his hands, and drew in a long, shuddering breath.
‘Jason obviously knows what he’s talking about’, Napoleon told himself sternly. ‘ I had to have misunderstood something.’ He perniciously applied his mind to figuring out what it was.
Meanwhile, Palmer was seated in the waiting area, his body in much the same posture as his patient’s. He had seen this kind of thing before, even in average people. He knew that it was never easy to admit to being different from the majority, particularly when the majority was violently opposed to the existence of your disparity. It was even more difficult for a man like Solo, though. It was necessary for their professional success, as well as their own safety, that Enforcement agents constantly keep an unyielding grip on their emotions. It was also dangerous - and, therefore, cause for forced retirement - to allow themselves to form permanent attachments, because anyone they cared for could too easily be used against them. Certainly, this was different, though.
“I need to ask you something, Jason,” Napoleon announced, before Palmer had barely reentered the room several minutes later. “Is there any possibility that the glowing figure in my dream could be, uh, female, even though I see it as a man?”
“Palmer’s eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “Of course there is; every possibility. In fact, many times a person can be represented by an animal, and vice versa. Any dream figure can merely indicate certain attributes the dreamer connects with that particular gender. For instance; a male figure, to another male, could stand for equal strength, a like mind, or someone who is similar to you in other ways. A female could mean someone whom you feel is physically weaker, mysterious, or domestic.”
“How abou…” Napoleon cleared his raspy throat and tried again. “How about physical characteristics? Can those be symbolic?”
“To be sure,” Jason acknowledged. “For instance, blonde hair can indicate a sweet and gentle nature; and small stature can show that you find the person is coarse and of low intelligence. However, if the dream figure closely resembles someone you know, that is probably who it is meant to represent.”
As hard as Napoleon tried to disguise the moment of panic that seized him, Dr. Palmer saw it flash across his face. He stepped quickly around the desk and caught Napoleon just before he hit the floor.
Title: The Tell-Tale Dream
Author: aneuhaus
Rating: NC/17 (but not yet)
Pairings: That would be telling!
Warnings: Slash
Part Six
Jason Palmer’s office, once a warm and friendly room, now felt suffocating.
Could it have been just that morning that the day had seemed so bright and alive with hope?
Now Napoleon was in dire need of something to subdue the amusement park that had taken up residence in his stomach. He reminded himself that he had been in worse places. At least here he was, physically, safe enough that he could allow himself the luxury of exploring his thoughts and feelings. He settled into the plastic chair once more; the crick in his back telling him that his next visit would be to Sven, U.N.C.L.E.’s most sadistic and, therefore, most thorough masseuse.
“I trust you had a good lunch,” Palmer greeted warmly. “We’re almost finished, Napoleon. Are you ready to proceed?”
Napoleon nodded his assent, so Palmer continued. “We have one last section, and then I want to close with a final point.”
“This section begins all the way back with your companion inside the store. I only found the word ‘companion’ in one text and, instead of a definition, it referred me to ‘date’. I almost didn’t bother, because there is no indication that you are romantically involved with the person in your dream. I became intrigued, though, and looked, to find that ‘date’ indicates that romance is in the air.”
“Now we move again to the alley, where I was interested in the man who was selling things out of the lockers. Once again, there was no definition for ‘selling’, and I was referred to the word ‘seduction’; which is, in essence, what selling is. Very simply, ‘seduction’ is an expression of sexual desire.”
“We spoke earlier about the pillows. In addition to the first meaning we discussed, I found this word in a second book, which described it simply as referring to ‘pillow talk’. This I construe as sharing secrets with someone about whom you have romantic ideas. I also contemplated the fact that you described the pillows as fuzzy, as well as pink and red. The word ‘fuzzy’ brings to mind softness and warmth; and the colors pink and red are most commonly, at least in this country, associated with St. Valentine’s Day - a day that is set aside to celebrate romantic love.”
“At some point in the narrative, I don’t recall exactly where, you refer to the figure as ‘my’ glowing man. I can’t help but believe that the use of ‘my’ is telling, in this instance, in that you already think of this person as ‘yours’”.
“Then there is the fact that you said that, after he enters the hole in the house, you are certain that he is still there, even though you can’t see him. I probably spent longer on this aspect of your dream than any other, because feelings and impressions are the most important facets of dream interpretation. My deduction is that, even when this person is not physically with you, he is still in your thoughts and your heart; and he will be a part of you forever, no matter how far apart you may be.”
“The one symbol we have not yet discussed explicitly is the hole in the front of the house. I researched this word extensively, and came up with a blank. With further reading and a bit of logic, however, I did formulate a hypothesis, but I will warn you that it may upset you. Do you want to hear it?” Palmer challenged.”
Napoleon wanted to say ‘No’. He wanted to stand up and walk out, never to return; anything to keep from hearing what Jason had to say. His mouth was dry, his head was pounding, and he felt sick; but he had come this far and he simply had to know. Unable to force words through is constricted throat, he nodded his head.
“Okay,” Palmer rejoined in a ‘you-asked-for-it’ voice. “Remember that the house denotes how you see yourself; so you see yourself as having a small hole that is covered over, or needs to be opened. This figure, in your own words, glides into the hole, although you don’t think it is large enough for him to fit. Also keep in mind that he goes up, which indicates resistance. Napoleon, do I need to…?”
“No, no, I think I understand your point.” Napoleon looked at him with the eyes of a rabbit staring down the beak of a hungry owl. “Can I, uh, have a minute?”
Palmer smiled compassionately and quietly exited the room. Napoleon lowered his head, covered his face with his hands, and drew in a long, shuddering breath.
‘Jason obviously knows what he’s talking about’, Napoleon told himself sternly. ‘ I had to have misunderstood something.’ He perniciously applied his mind to figuring out what it was.
Meanwhile, Palmer was seated in the waiting area, his body in much the same posture as his patient’s. He had seen this kind of thing before, even in average people. He knew that it was never easy to admit to being different from the majority, particularly when the majority was violently opposed to the existence of your disparity. It was even more difficult for a man like Solo, though. It was necessary for their professional success, as well as their own safety, that Enforcement agents constantly keep an unyielding grip on their emotions. It was also dangerous - and, therefore, cause for forced retirement - to allow themselves to form permanent attachments, because anyone they cared for could too easily be used against them. Certainly, this was different, though.
“I need to ask you something, Jason,” Napoleon announced, before Palmer had barely reentered the room several minutes later. “Is there any possibility that the glowing figure in my dream could be, uh, female, even though I see it as a man?”
“Palmer’s eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “Of course there is; every possibility. In fact, many times a person can be represented by an animal, and vice versa. Any dream figure can merely indicate certain attributes the dreamer connects with that particular gender. For instance; a male figure, to another male, could stand for equal strength, a like mind, or someone who is similar to you in other ways. A female could mean someone whom you feel is physically weaker, mysterious, or domestic.”
“How abou…” Napoleon cleared his raspy throat and tried again. “How about physical characteristics? Can those be symbolic?”
“To be sure,” Jason acknowledged. “For instance, blonde hair can indicate a sweet and gentle nature; and small stature can show that you find the person is coarse and of low intelligence. However, if the dream figure closely resembles someone you know, that is probably who it is meant to represent.”
As hard as Napoleon tried to disguise the moment of panic that seized him, Dr. Palmer saw it flash across his face. He stepped quickly around the desk and caught Napoleon just before he hit the floor.