Noire and Arils

“Buck.” Noire said, scurrying out of bed and out the door, grabbing only her coat and phone. When she got to the scene, it was already 10:10. She ran over to the chief, who was barking out orders as usual.

“Celestia damn it all girl, where were you? You’re never late!” He said when he saw her trot over, out of breath, her mane still a bedraggled mess.

“I’m reeeeally sorry, I’ll get in some work overtime, but for now, let’s get cracking!” She said, smoothing out her mane as she grabbed the Chief’s cup of coffee and took a drink from it before spitting it out, remembering that her boss liked his coffee with no sweetening whatsoever.

“Forget overtime, what the hell made you late? Nothing short of a cataclysm would ever make you late...and even then you’d be giving disaster relief!” As he pushed the subject further, a tings of red appeared on the grey of Noire’s cheek.

“I’d really rather not talk about it.” The detective answered flatly as she watched the ponies file cases, leaning against the carriage they came in and looking at the dark sky, at the wet ground...anything but the stare Chief was giving her.

“Are you...blushing?” He asked, the most professional, dutiful pony he knew was not only late, when he asked where she was, she was blushing.

He was pretty sure the world was ending. It was a sign.

“No...of course not! What have we found out?” Noire asked, taking another sip of the offe unconsciously and spitting it out again before coughing and handing the cup back to her boss, who looked down at her in an unimpressed fashion.

“You’ve accumulated one hundred and fifty six sick days...do you want to use one of them hun? I’ve never seen you this flustered.” He trotted after her. “Maybe you just need a day in bed...and who said you had to be alone?” He grinned and almost laughed out loud when she sputtered again and grew very red now.

“What are you insinuating!? I’ll have you know that--” She just got redder when the Chief finally broke down and gave a hearty chuckle.

“I’m not insinuating anything, but I’ve been around long enough to know when someone got lucky. Want to share who it was?” Noire, now burning red, turned away.

“It was...err...Arils...” She said in a tiny voice. Making the Chief stop dead and laugh again.

“I actually probably could have guessed that, good for you hun! Not sure why it made you late for work though...unless...” He cocked an eyebrow at her and she turned away again.

“Nothing! Stop. No. Didn’t...no...” She grabbed a cup of coffee and took a deep drink from it to cool herself down.

“That’s still mine.” Chief responded as she spit it out again.

“I’m fine. I just have a lot to figure out, but I can stay at work...” Noire said, panting as she grabbed her notebook and headed off, still being watched by her boss, who grinned and shook his head.

“They’re cute together...I hope she shows up late more often.”