Marinette kinda always suspected that a day may come that she'd have to work with her partners out of costume. A factor that, yeah, she's been kinda curious about. See how well her boys work together without Abeille Jaune there. How well they can work with a civilian on their own. Marinette expected good results. After all, Ciel Bleu was efficient and precise, and Malin Rouge was fast and clever. They should be a fine pair, capable of working without their little leader for this one mission.
Apparently Marinette had placed too much expectation into her boys.
"I'm so sorry Miss Dupain-Cheng for this inconvenience," Ciel told her, glaring at the fox he held up by the scruff, not even bothered by Malin's sharp growls as he struggled in the peacock's grasp. With angry silver eyes, bright against black sclera of his mask's eye holes, the peacock hero scolded, "You do not harass civilians!"
With a snarl, Malin snapped, "I was not harassing her!"
"Um," Marinette uttered awkwardly.
"I was just asking for cookies!" Malin defended.
"You were begging and getting all up in her space!"
"Ciel," she tried.
Malin sputtered, ears folding flat on his head, "I was not begging! Foxes do not beg."
"You were."
"Was not!"
"Guys."
Rolling his eyes, Ciel half tossed the fox away, half set him down, then turn to her, stretching his arm out so the blue cape blocked the fox from view. Ignoring the annoyed, "Hey!" behind him, Ciel greeted curtly, "Good day Miss Dupain-Cheng, I understand from Abeille Jaune you're in need of protection? There's an akuma pursuing you?"
Malin hopped up, knocking Ciel's arm down and flashing her a toothy grin. "You can trust us to protect you!"
Ciel shot the fox a look. "That is, if you can even take your job seriously."
Malin shoots him a look, crossing arms in annoyance. "I can too."
Ciel hummed an unimpressed tone.
"Ok," she uttered slowly, giving the two blonds a tight smile. Well, this was going to be an interesting mission for them all... "It's, um, the akuma's not coming back till this evening so..."
"Ok!" Malin chirped, pointing to her with a finger gun, "We'll be back later then to get him! Maybe honeybug can join then too!" Satisfied with what he learned, Malin turned to prowl off, only for Ciel to grab him by the tail and sharply tug him back, ignoring the angry growl Malin emitted.
"This akuma's been very unpredictable so far," Ciel stated, peering down at her with a deep frown, "we're going to take this job seriously and secure you're safe."
Malin pouted at the peacock.
Marinette shuffled on her feet. "Oh, uh, it's not really necessary..."
Ciel peered down at her, gaze sharp and sure. Making it very clear that she was not going to be rid of them. Ciel was intent on bodyguarding. The peacock was going to see her safe no matter what.
Marinette's shoulders drooped. "Ok, um, then, I have... cookies and tea?"
Malin's pout instantly exploded into a broad grin. "I love cookies!" he declared. "You have chocolate chip?!"
"...It's a bakery," Ciel grumbled.
"They could be out!" Malin snapped.
"We got plenty, just head upstairs to our kitchen. We keep them in a jar," Marinette reassured, offering them inside. With a wiggle and a squeal, Malin darted past her, eager to get a hold of some cookies. Behind him, Ciel grimaced, eye twitching. The peacock crest on the back of his hood mask drooped with his displeasure.
"Very energized," she noted with a fond smile. Turning to the peacock hero, she asked, "Tea?"
"Yes please," he sighed. Then straightening, he regally followed the fox inside, his blue cape fluttering with his movement, the red peacock eyes on the ends shining when they hit the light.
Hanging by the door, Marinette frowned after the two heroes.
The purse at her side snapped open, and Beea peeked out to peer after them, unimpressed. "Perhaps Abeille's schedule should suddenly open up." This could be problematic. Their petty disagreements could ruin this mission. Beea did not like the idea. Marinette echoed her caution.
Both were counting on their partners working well together without Abeille leading them.
...Did they actually squabble this much?
How did she not notice?
But then again, these two were still her partners. Marinette offered the bee, "Maybe it'll work out?"
Beea hummed, blue eyes narrowing.
Quirking her lips up, she gave Beea's head a little rub, making the kwami wiggled in pleasure. It was going to work out either way, Marinette was sure of that.
Her partners will always have her back (though she expected better teamwork...).
She was sure she could trust them.
Hearing an angry squawk of, "Don't eat all their cookies!" Marinette slipped in after the two heroes, ignoring Beea's urgent whispers of "Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!".
Awkward was a good word to describe this atmosphere.
Marinette and Malin lounged on her couch, sitting there quietly as Ciel hovered by the window, glaring out in case that akuma came back. The peacock made the air tense and heavy, too unnerving for anyone to really relax.
Though Malin tried.
He was lounged out on the couch, rolling the fox tail of his necklace's chain about. Then sparing Marinette a glance, eyeing her slumped over her couch arm. With a coy grin, he smacked her with his tail, jerking Marinette up.
She shoots him a look.
Malin grins at her.
She narrows her eyes at him.
His smile grows, green eyes gleaming playfully.
Marinette made a jab at him, only for Malin to hop up, dancing away from her. He hung by the end of the couch, tail wagging behind him.
Marinette crouched a little, eyes locked on the fox.
If he wanted to play this game, she was ready for him.
She had plenty of practice with Manon.
Before she could dive at him, a voice cleared.
Both paused, turning to see Ciel glaring at them.
"What?" Malin demanded.
"She's a civilian in danger," Ciel stressed. "You should be watching out for the akuma with me."
Malin rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, she's obiously in danger right now."
Ciel glared at him.
Malin glared back.
Marinette raised a brow at the two, and when Ciel's sharp gaze flickered to her, she quickly settled back on the couch, smiling sheepishly at the peacock. Only to turn to the kitchen when the kettle blew. Hopping up, she slipped into the kitchen to preare Ciel's tea. With her back to them, she missed Ciel angrily waving to the couch. Malin hopped onto the couch arm, turning away with a pout.
Ciel's eye twithced, utterly miffed and done with the difficult fox.
Before anything could be done, Marinette returned with drinks. "I heard you like chocolate milk," she said to Malin, grinning as his green eyes gleamed.
"I like chocolate milk!" he confirmed with a yip.
Ciel rolled his eyes, and accepted the tea Marinette offered him. Ear grey, perfect.
Turning to the window, he went back to look out, this time enjoying the warm drink their ward provided.
Marinette sat back down beside Malin, unsure what to do again.
Malin playful flicked his tail at her once more, and she playfully tried to grab at it.
Malin kept it out of her reach with a coy snicker.
Then turning his green eyes to the poised peacock, he smirked. Setting his drink down, he hopped up and prowled around the room, grinning when he saw a small compact mirror. Picking it up and checking to see if Ciel put his drink down (he did), Malin moved to action, ignoring Marinette's curious stare. Going by a window with sunlight streaming through he moved the mirror about, letting a reflected light gleam out against the curtains next to Ciel.
After a few twitches, the peacock turned to the light, silver eyes quickly settling on it.
Ciel's black gloved hand darted to it, smashing against the curtain and making it ripple under the attack.
Malin quickly jerked that light up, and Ciel followed, smacking at it as he tried to catch the shiny.
Marinette quickly set a hand over her mouth, trying to muffle the giggles threatening to burst out of her.
For a few minutes, Ciel pursued that light, trying to catch it. Only to be roused out of his hunt when he heard the muffled giggles. Sharply he turned, eyes locking on the coy fox.
His cape flared out in agitation, cheeks flaring red. "You dare-"
"Just a bit of fun," Malin teased.
Eyeing the boiling peacock, Marinette offered, "Hey Malin, want to help me make a batch of cookies?"
The fox let out an excited hum, ears perked in excitment. Hopping up, he hurried to the kitchen, ready to bake. Marinette got up to follow and Ciel went back to his watch duty, grumbling under his breath.
He probably should've just insisted on doing this work himself.
Another teaser! It'll be Beea's last fic appearance covering bee!Marinette, Abeille Jaune, alongside her partners, Malin Rouge and Ciel Bleu! It should be this with bee!Marinette or a fox!Marinette fic that will be next, after MatSLG is done (that fic should be ending soonish).
I drew out my take on Abeille Jaune and Ciel Bleu on my tumblr, imthepunchlord.
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