ML Fluff Month
Next >>
Read it on Ao3
In celebration of @miraculousfluffmonth second year running, myself, @saijspellhart, @ao3bronte, @yamina20-blog and @saoirse7ilysi are teaming up to cover the various prompts offered. Multiple authors, multiple ships, multiple universes!
1: Roommates
“What the heck are you doing?”
Several faces in various colors turned towards Kim and Max as they stood in the door to the apartment.
“Girl’s night.” Alya answered promptly. “Didn’t you get the text? Are the pizzas for us?”
“What text?” Kim asked.
“In our apartment?” Max echoed.
“Of course.” Rose grinned up at them from behind some kind of green face mask. “We had to christen your new abode!”
Kim leaned over, raising his hand to hide his mouth. “Don’t you normally do that by having sex in every room?” He whispered.
“We can hear you.” Alix offered from her upside-down position on the couch.
“That’s what I thought.” Nino faux-whispered back.
“So...are we safe to sit on the couch?” Adrien wondered aloud.
“Don’t worry Sunshine, you won’t get pregnant.” Alix grinned sharply.
“What a relief.” Adrien replied dryly. “Can we actually, say, come in, or should we take guy’s night somewhere where the couch cushions aren’t contaminated?”
“Where the heck else would we go?” Nino asked.
“Your apartment?” Kim shrugged.
“Those couch cushions are definitely contaminated.” Alya added helpfully.
“At least I won’t get pregnant.” Kim shrugged. “And not like I’m gonna take off my pants or anything.”
“That you know of.” Alix grinned sharply.
“I’m not sure I want to contemplate what kind of situation would compel Kim to start removing clothing in Nino and Alya’s apartment.” Max muttered, before shaking his head and striding towards the kitchen. “Regardless, this is my home too, and I would like to eat here.”
“But- girl’s night!” Rose protested, frowning as the rest of the boys filed in, Adrien trailing Max to add to the food pile.
“Alix barely qualifies.” Kim tossed out, ignoring the tongue she stuck out as he plopped down next to her.
“I’ve got the necessary parts.” She huffed. “And I do girl’s night, which, by definition, is for girls. No dicks allowed.”
“Sorry Tiny Tits, we’re invading.” Kim shrugged. “What kind of crap do you have smeared on your face, anyway?”
“We’re invading, but we did bring pizza.” Adrien added helpfully, sitting down next to Marinette. “Ohh, honey-oatmeal?”
“With a bit of sea salt for exfoliation.” Marinette nodded, leaning over to take a bite of the pizza he held up. “Want one?”
“Sure.” Adrien agreed easily. “Nino, you in?”
“Oatmeal isn’t my thing.” Nino piped up, rooting through the cupboards for a plate. “Babe, you want a slice?”
“Got any pepperoni?” Alya asked, nodding when he gave her a thumb up. “And I’ve got the charcoal one you like.”
“I’m down.” Nino agreed, piling slices onto a plate. “Max?”
“I haven’t done...face masks before.” Max frowned dubiously as he chewed a bite. “What is their purpose?”
“Oh!” Juleka spoke up for the first time. “The do a lot of different things. You can exfoliate, moisturise, clear pores, hydrate-”
“They make your skin feel nice.” Alix cut her off, ignoring the other girl’s scandalized look. “But if you guys join in, you gotta go full throttle.”
“What, exactly, is ‘full throttle?’” Max asked, eyes narrowing speculatively.
“Depends.” Marinette shrugged. “It’s not like we’re going to do makeup or anything, but we do have the stuff to do mani-pedis.”
“That’s a shame,” Adrien sighed, “I look really good with smokey eyes.”
“It’s unfair.” Juleka agreed as Rose and Alya nodded solemnly.
“You,” Kim shook his head, “are they gayest straight guy I have ever met.”
“Nah, that’s just model behavior.” Nino said around a mouthful of cheese. “Dude knows more about makeup than anyone except Juleka.”
Adrien shrugged. “You’re the most masculine bisexual I’ve ever met. It all evens out.”
“So are you in?” Alya asked. “Or as we saying thanks for the pizza and kicking you out?”
“This is our apartment - you can’t kick us out.” Kim refuted. “Like, literally. Max and Alix and I live here - not you.”
Alya frowned, eyes narrowing as she opened her mouth to refute that statement.
“So, wait.” Max spoke up, heading her off. “What do you expect us to do? Do we have to do mini-pedis and all of that as well? And watch whatever movie you’ve picked out? How does this work, exactly?”
“Mani-pedis. It’s short for ‘manicure and pedicure.’ And I mean, I guess we’d just do as much as you’re comfortable with.” Marinette mused as Alix grinned sharply at Kim. “I know Adrien and Nino will let us do pretty much anything-”
“Really?” Kim interrupted, looking at the two men sitting next to their respective girlfriends for confirmation.
“Sure.” Nino shrugged. “I look better afterwards, and Alya’s got some bomb-ass glow in the dark nail polish for when I’m working the club.”
“I’ve got you covered.” Alya winked at Nino.
“Compromise:” Max said, lifting a finger, “we’ll do face masks, but no nail polish unless we want to, and you let us play video games instead of watching rom-coms.”
“Deal.” Alix said as she rolled off the sofa, narrowly missing Rose and Juleka. “I need to wash this off my face. Come on, Kim.”
“What? Why-?” Kim blinked but didn’t struggle as Alix grasped his wrist and hauled him up.
“You gotta pick a mask - they’re all in the bathroom. Max, you coming?” Alix threw over her shoulder as she dragged Kim down the hallway and into the small bathroom. “Unless you want to change into your pajamas first or something.”
“The bathroom is crowded enough with two,” Max mused as he stood in the doorway surveying the crowded counter, “I believe I shall change first.”
“Cool. Hey, grab some pants for Nino and Adrien, okay?” Alix asked absently, wetting a washcloth under the spigot. “Kim, what kind do you want?”
“Um, I don’t know?” Kim shifted uneasily as he frowned at the various goops and torn pouches. “What the hell even are they?”
Alix’s lips quirked as she leaned in towards him, still scrubbing at her face as she lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Honestly? I don’t even know - I just put on whichever one Rose or Juleka tell me I need.”
“You have no idea what you’re putting on your face?” Kim’s nose wrinkled.
“I know it’s nothing dangerous.” Alix waved him off. “And I like spending time with the girls. It reminds me that I’m not actually a boy.”
Kim’s brow furrowed as he frowned. “Why-”
“But, um, yeah.” Alix interrupted, pointing to various ones. “I know the green one has avocado in it. I know it moisturizes, and...something, something acne. The blue one has some kind of clay and sea salt, it exfoliates dead skin and stuff. Marinette has on honey-oatmeal.”
“What does that one do?” Kim asked, bemused, brow still furrowed as he watched the smaller girl.
“No idea.” Alix shrugged. “I mean, I think it sounds like breakfast.”
Kim sniggered.
“Truthfully...what color do you like? That’s how I choose if someone isn’t around to tell me.” Alix grinned up at him.
“Rock on, rock on,” Kim hummed, turning to eyeball the offerings. “Um, you know, avocado works for me. Who wants guacamole, anyway?”
“I know, right?” Alix rolled her eyes as she grabbed another washcloth.
Twenty minutes later Alix was back on the couch, happily squashed between her two best friends as she destroyed them at Mario Kart. Max, the giant nerd that he was, had actually dragged Juleka into the bathroom to explain the various face masks to him to he could make an informed decision, so he still had a few minutes left before he could wash his honey-oatmeal mask off.
“I can’t believe I’m wearing breakfast on my face.” He mumbled, head tilted back with his arms slung across the back of the couch comfortably.
“At least you smell pretty good - ha! Suck on that, Agreste!” Alix cheered as she sent Adrien’s character careening off the screen. Nino was on the other side of Kim with Alya at his feet, so it was too cramped to easily rise, but Alix wriggled happily in her seat, fist-pumping her victory.
“Quit squirming, you’re ruining my pedicure!” Nino complained half-heartedly as her motions jostled Kim. “Kim, tell your girlfriend to quit it.”
“Not my girlfriend.” Kim grunted, intent on his phone. “Alix, quit it. You’re ruining his pedicure.”
“Why is he even up here?” Alix grumbled, leaning back in her seat and passing Nino the controller for his turn.
“It’s easier to get at his toes this way.” Alya replied. “Mari, tell your boyfriend to stop crying - Alix beats him like, every time.”
“She kind of does.” Marinette told Adrien, who had fallen backwards in a dramatic heap.
“My ego can’t take this kind of abuse.” Adrien whined, pouting at the ceiling.
“Says the man with red nail polish and a floral headband.” Juleka snickered.
“Hey, it’s Ladybug nail polish, thank you very much.” Adrien huffed. “And I had to keep my bangs off my face somehow.”
“Speaking of, your mask is about done.” Marinette added. “Rose, how much longer does Max have?”
“Oh! He’s done!” Rose said, peering at her phone. “Adrien, want to go take him to wash it off?”
“Sure.” Adrien shrugged, passing the controller to Juleka.
“Don’t forget to moisturise!” Rose added as the two boys headed off.
“Of course! What do I look like, a heathen?” Adrien laughed cheerfully, grabbing Max’s arm as he squinted at the other man suspiciously.
Kim slid Alix a sidelong glance. “Moisturiser, huh?”
Nino laughed even as Alix’s face heated. “Alix is a heathen!” He sang.
“Seriously, how long have we been doing this now?” Alya asked, amused, as she leaned back to admire her handiwork.
“Shuddup, or I won’t share my popcorn.” She grumbled.
“You know, how am I supposed to look my best for Bianca if you’re forgetting the moisturiser?” Kim folded his arms behind his head. “Like, do you just not want me to get laid?”
“I don’t want to listen to you get laid.” Alix grumbled. “And isn’t this your first date?”
“Hazards of having a roommate, I guess.” Kim shrugged. “And, yeah, I’m not really expecting anything like that, but if I was…”
“You guys are the worst.” Alya grumbled.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kim huffed as Max and Adrien wandered back in. Max sat back down on the sofa, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the bowl on Kim’s lap as he handed Alix a tube of moisturiser.
“So, not to rain on the parade here,” Max said, “but did anybody think about sleeping arrangements?”
“Is this a sleepover?” Adrien, who had resumed his place on the floor, tilted his head back curiously.
“I’m in my pajamas. Alix had me get pajama pants for you and Nino as well. So, I assumed so.” Max shrugged.
“It isn’t usually. I just had you get the pajamas because everyone else is in comfy clothes.” Alix shrugged, squirting a bit more lotion onto her fingers and grabbing Kim’s face. “But I don’t care if you guys don’t.”
“I don’t care.” Kim mumbled, face squished in Alix’s grip as she rubbed lotion onto his face.
“Heck yeah!” Nino cheered. “Return of the Secret Sleepover Society!”
“Dude, we’re all adults.” Adrien laughed. “Secret from who, exactly?”
“Whatever, I will so sneak into Alya’s room.” Nino grinned.
“We share a room Nino.” Alya replied tolerantly. “We could always invade Marinette’s parents house, just for old time’s sake.”
“They would certainly be surprised!” Marinette laughed.
“Think we could get Chat Noir to sneak us into your old room?” Alya grinned, waggling her eyebrows.
“Chat Noir helped you into Marinette’s old room?” Rose sat up to peer at the other girl curiously.
“Even better - Chat Noir caught Marinette and I sneaking into Alya’s room!” Nino laughed. “He called us idiots.”
“You were.” Adrien added. “Seriously, how the heck did you even fit on that ledge?”
“Shit, you got a superhero to help you break into the Ladyblogger’s room?” Kim’s eyebrows were hovering around his hairline. “And, wasn’t Alya’s house, like, three stories up?”
“Chat was an old friend of mine.” Marinette shrugged. “He knew Alya and I were friends.”
“Yes, it was three stories up and yes, I did it, because I was a ninja.” Nino added.
“Babe, you were never a ninja. I heard you breaking in every time.” Alya said fondly.
“Shh, let him have this.” Marinette shushed her friend, giggling.
“Did Ladybug ever show up?” Alix asked curiously. Even Max was distracted, watching the others intently.
“Oh, once in a while.” Marinette smiled. “She wasn’t as frequent as Chat, though.”
“Mari and Chat, sitting in a tree~” Nino sang, “K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
“Seriously?” Kim gaped. “You were macking on Chat freaking Noir?”
Marinette sniggered. “I’m a woman of many mysteries.”
“I’ll say.” Alix shook her head. “Shit, Marinette.”
“It wasn’t really something we advertised, because it could make me a target.” Marinette said apologetically, “and it didn’t last that long - though we are still friends, and I know he swings by the bakery from time to time.”
“Yeah, he’s kind of macking on Ladybug now.” Nino nodded.
“I still say they’re not as hot as Rena and Carapace.” Alya hummed. “Those two are so sexy.”
“Okay, but we’re getting off track.” Max shook his head. “Are you guys sleeping here? And how would that work?”
“Well, we do have three beds.” Kim pointed out reasonably.
“And one of those beds is mine.” Max replied. “Another is yours. The third belongs to Alix.”
“I don’t mind sharing, if everyone wants to stay.” Alix shrugged.
“Alya and I can take the couch - it folds out, right?” Nino asked, admiring his toes.
“Yeah, we’ve got some spare blankets.” Alix hummed.
“Mari and I can take one bed.” Adrien shrugged. “Rose and Jules can have the other - are you three going to be able to fit on one bed?”
Alix blinked. She had been thinking she could sleep with Juleka and Rose, or crash on the floor, but-
Kim shrugged. “I’ve got a queen size. A little small for three people, but Alix is, like, half a person anyway.”
“Would you be alright with that Max?” Alix asked the other man lowly.
“I don’t see why not - but you get the middle. Kim kicks.” Max replied.
“Great.” Adrien said. “Now that that’s decided, pass a controller.”
“You back for more pain, Agreste?” Alix laughed.
“Hell no.” Adrien snorted. “Hand Max the remote - at least then I’ll have a chance of winning.”
By the time everyone made their way to their beds, it was so late it was early. Rose and Juleka had gone down first, with Kim carrying a sleeping Rose into Max’s room, easily lifting the grown woman with a grin and a laugh. Alya had turned in not long afterwards, taking Alix’s bed and citing a long day at work as well as an afternoon shift the next day. Nino and Max had gone down not long after. Marinette, used to late night design binges, had lasted the longest, but sometime around two, she and Adrien had pulled out the couch, thanking a sleepy Alix for the armful of blankets and pillows she’d passed over. She’d waved them off with a sleepily before retiring to crawl over Max and into the space between him and Kim.
“Hey, Alix?” Kim whispered as she settled in. Apparently he wasn’t as asleep as she’d thought. Alix rolled to face him, tugging their shared blanket up a bit higher as she did so.
“Yeah?” She whispered back.
“What did you mean earlier, about remembering you were a girl?”
Alix blinked in surprise. “What?” She said, louder than she’d intended, and Kim shushed her as Max stirred at her back.
“Earlier.” He said, once Max had settled down. “You said you do these girl’s nights so you don’t forget you’re a girl.”
“Oh.” Alix shifted, glad her friend couldn’t see the heat crawling up her neck in the dark. “Um, well, everyone treats me like a boy. I’m one of the guys - I have always been one of the guys. And that’s not a bad thing! I like having you and Max as my friends, and doing things like skating and hiking and stuff. But it’s like you don’t ever see me as anything else.”
“I know you’re a girl.” Kim huffed.
“Kim,” Alix whispered wryly, “two weeks ago you accidently walked in on me getting out of the shower and screamed about a girl being in the house.”
“Ah. Well.” Kim coughed awkwardly, “In my defense, it was six in the morning. Also, I got a whole eyeful of how not a guy you actually are.”
“Yeah, it was embarrassing all around.” Alix agreed. “But not like you’ve never seen me in a swimsuit. Or in a dress. Those aren’t typical guy clothes.”
“True, but it’s kind of hard to remember I found your panties in the dryer when you’re burping your ABCs.” Kim refuted.
“You’re just mad I got further than you did.” Alix snorted.
“That’s beside the point.” Kim rolled his eyes. “The point is, none of the other ladies do that kind of stuff with us.”
“Yeah, I know.” Alix sighed. “And...most days, it doesn’t bother me. Mostly it’s when you’re like, blasted and hitting on girls that it gets uncomfortable, you know? You’re flirting, and they’re looking at me like I have some kind of say over what you do. Or I get these pitying looks like ‘can’t you keep your boyfriend in line?’ and then I have to explain you’re not and I don’t even know why I want to explain anything - I don’t owe anyone an explanation. But I have the world looking at me like a girl, and my friends treating me like a guy, and it gets confusing.”
“I...can see that.” Kim admitted lowly. “I guess I’ve just never questioned it, you know? You’re not a girl or a guy, you’re Alix. My partner in crime for sixteen years running.”
“Literally.” Alix sniggered.
“Hell yeah. Ironman for the win.” Kim grinned back.
“New Zealand, here we come.” Alix nodded. “But, um, yeah. I’m so used to being ‘one of the guys’ that I kind of...forget that I can be a girl, too.”
“So you do girl nights.” Kim hummed.
“So I do girl nights.” Alix affirmed.
“Well,” Kim yawned, “tonight was actually pretty cool, and my face feels like a baby’s rear end, so if you need someone to help you smear mashed fruit on your face, I’m down.”
Alix laughed. “My hero.”
“Damn right I am.” Kim muttered. “Now go to sleep Mighty Mouse - we’ve got to rescue some of that fruit for breakfast.”
“I kind of want oatmeal.” Alix agreed. “I’ve been smelling it all night. Max still smells like it.”
“With honey.” Kim mumbled.
“With honey.” Alix agreed softly, eyelids drifting closed as she listened to Kim’s breathing even out. Max’s arm sliding across her waist was the last thing she remembered as she drifted to sleep.
Author's Notes: Kim, Alix and Max - I love these nerds, even though they're damn hard to write, because they're not overt the same way the traditional love square is. However, they're probably going to be the focus for my portion of the Fluff Month prompts, because I feel like they just don't get enough love.
Also, this is my second run with Fluff Month - I participated solo last year (and it was an absolute bear). Nino made reference to the Secret Sleepover (Society), which was actually one of last year's prompts that I had a lot of fun with and wanted to revisit. If you're curious about their Secret Sleepovers (and Nino's days as a ninja), check out chapters 13, 17, and 21.
Next up is Saijspellhart, covering the prompt safe.
