Short ficlet for y'all. Title is based on Caro Emerald's song Back It Up. Enjoy and let me know what you think..! x

Gaby and Illya almost fell into the with exhaustion at the end of the day. Waverley had them put through their paces by some SAS members to make sure they were on top form for their next mission in the Alps. Napoleon was engaged in another task with Waverly.

'I swear my feet are gonna fall off.' Gaby groaned, flopping onto the sofa, still drenched in mud and sweat.

'We should probably shower before we fall asleep.' Gaby said, getting up, rather reluctantly.

'I agree.' Illya did the same. Then, in a sudden fit of energy, Gaby pelted to the bathroom before Illya could even make a move. 'Gaby! That is not fair!' he reprimanded but the door slammed in his face.

Ten minutes later she was still in there. Illya's muscles were starting to tighten up and Gaby will probably have used all the hot water by now.

'Gaby!' he knocked on the door, 'You are going to use all the hot water.' he whined. He knocked again after Gaby didn't respond. He knocked so hard that he realised the door was unlocked. He pushed it open gently. Gaby was humming to herself, actively ignoring Illya. The Russian was thankful for the shower curtain between them. 'Gaby..' he started again.

'What is it, Illya?' she sighed.

'There is not so much hot water.' he said quietly, suddenly intimidated for no apparent reason.

'So...?'

'So may I have a shower, uh... please?' Gaby whipped back the shower curtain, much to Illya's embarrassment. He tried to avert his eyes but found it extremely difficult to do so.

'Why don't you join me then?' the small German smirked, knowing exactly what she was doing to him. 'Saves time and water.'

'I think I will wait..' Illya murmured.

'What's the matter, Peril? Scared of a woman?'

'No...' he said indignantly, 'I just...' he trailed off, painfully distracted by Gaby's display of nudity.

'Then what's the problem?'

Illya had no excuse really. They'd both been tiptoeing around each other for far too long but no...he couldn't do this. Shower with her, stand naked in such close proximity to her.

'I will wait. It is no problem.' he finally said, ears going red.

'Suit yourself.' Gaby looked him up and down, almost disapprovingly, as if she'd honestly wanted him to join her, before closing the curtain again.

She got out of the shower a few minutes later, in her pyjamas and flopped back onto the couch, opening her copy of Far From the Madding Crowd and started reading, waiting for Illya

Gaby poured a pair of drinks after Illya got out of the shower. He was dressed in more comfortable clothes. He joined her on the couch.

'Will you join me for once?' Gaby asked, waving a glass of vodka in his face.

'I would not say no after a day like this.' he smiled, accepting the drink and knocking it back in one. Gaby did the same before pouring them each another. 'Slow down Chop Shop Girl, we do not want to get drunk too fast.'

'Live a little, Kuryakin.' Gaby said before knocking back her second glass. 'The night is young, as the Americans say.'

'I sometimes question what the Americans say.' Illya replied, sceptically before drinking his second vodka.

'Come on. Solo won't be home until tomorrow so we might as well make the most of an empty apartment.' Gaby said before opening the bottle and pouring third drink...

They were both drunk now. Gaby was dancing to another one those songs she loved on the radio while Illya watched this time. She was a little blurry but he could see her all the same. Her jarred yet still beautiful movements reminiscent of her ballet days.

'Come on Illya, you know you want to dance with me.' She called to him from the living room floor. Illya heaved himself up and joined her. She placed his hands on her waist and she rested her hands on his biceps, too short to drape them around his neck. They shuffled around for a moment, Gaby continuously losing her balance.

'Here,' Illya said, lifting her to stand on his feet so he could spin them around the room.

'Thank you Mr Bolshoi ballerina.' Gaby joked. Illya couldn't help but chuckle which made Gaby laugh again; her melodic, tuneful laugh he barely heard. He was so wrapped up in her that he'd forgotten to look where he was stepping. He knocked into the coffee table, causing him to lose his balance, bringing the pair of them crashing to the floor. Illya cursed under his breath and Gaby just laughed again.

'Are you alright?' Illya asked, laughing now too.

'Absolutely fine my Russian friend.' She gave him a thumbs up before sitting up next to him. They shuffled over to lean against the foot of the couch as their chuckles subsided.

'Hey.' Gaby murmured, finally calming down.

'Hello.' He said back, brushing in a strand of hair from her face.

'Can I ask you a question?'

'Anything you want, Chop Shop Girl.'

'Why don't you ever make a move?'

'What move?'

'You know,' Gaby sighed, 'on me. Even after I've given you so many opportunities.' Illya blushed a little, searching for a legitimate answer. He had no excuse but his own shyness. It was only then that he noticed how close their faces were.

'I did not want to put you in awkward situation.' he subconsciously leaned closer.

'Why would this be awkward?' She asked, her eyes flitting from his down to his mouth and back.

'I do not-' Illya cut himself off. He really didn't know. 'With work, I did not want to make things difficult.' Illya inclined his head a little more towards to hers.

'Wouldn't it be just as it was?'

'I suppose it would.' Illya ran his tongue over his lips. In nervousness or anticipation he wasn't sure.

'So what's the problem?' Gaby shuffled ever so slightly closer to the Russian.

'There is no prob-'

'Good.' Gaby interrupted before closing the very short distance between them with a searing kiss. Illya pulled her into his lap so she was straddling him. He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him. Gaby moaned as his teeth nicked her bottom lip. She carded her hands through his hair, mussing it lightly. Illya ran a hand under her pyjama top and she moaned again.

'Illya,' She said into his lips, 'Illya, we should,' Gaby pulled away, 'take this next door.'

'That is probably good idea.' Illya got up, Gaby still wrapped around him and went to his room, ensuring the door closed firmly behind him.