"The paint's supposed to go where?" Marinette asked, a look of disbelief on her face as she placed one hand on her hip, the other holding a long paint roller. Nino, Adrien and Alya stood behind her, also wielding rollers and wearing expressions of confusion.
Théo twiddled his toothpick between his thumb and forefinger, sighing.
"The ceiling. Everything else will be painted tomorrow, so today has been put aside for the ceiling." Théo sounded exasperated, like he knew exactly what Marinette was going to say next. Which, given her question, he probably did.
"Then why don't we have any ladders? Or longer rollers which can actually reach the ceiling?" She asked, gesturing to the empty room. Théo replaced the toothpick in his mouth, shrugging.
"There seems to have been a mix-up on the days. I guess management thought we were painting the walls first."
"So did we," Alya pointed out. "That's why we volunteered for today!"
Volunteering to paint the classrooms of a local school had been Alya's idea. Marinette had agreed when her friend had proposed it to her, a fun day painting walls for the two of them; so when she'd arrived late to find Adrien and Nino standing alongside her best friend, Marinette had nearly screamed in surprise.
"Nino and Adrien agreed to help," Alya had winked as she slung an arm around the frozen Marinette. "It'll get the work done faster, and then we were thinking of getting some food after – a reward for hard work, you know?"
Marinette had nodded mutely, allowing herself to be led into the classroom which was waiting to be painted. Théo was waiting for them, the leader of the project, and each of the four volunteers grabbed one of the paint rollers leaning against the door frame when they walked in. Looking stressed, Théo explained the ceiling situation to the quartet who'd joined him in the empty room, with only a few paint pots adorning the material-covered floor.
"I know," Théo replied to Alya's statement, "and I'm sorry. I'm going to head over to the main office to find out what's going on. You four just wait here for a bit, I'll be back to sort this out soon."
Without giving them a chance to respond, Théo walked out of the door, shaking his head and muttering under his breath unintelligibly. The four friends looked at each other as he exited, unsure of what they were meant to do.
"So, I guess we just wait then?" Nino asked, scratching the back of his neck. Adrien nodded.
"Looks that way," he agreed, resting his arm on Nino's shoulder as his friend crossed his arms.
"He's going to be gone a while," Marinette said, looking at the door Théo had walked out of. "Maybe we should go wait somewhere else?"
There was a murmur of agreement from the boys, but Alya seemed to be surveying the room, reaching up with her roller to see how high she could reach.
"We could," Alya said, a grin growing on her face, "but I have a better idea. Hey Nino, come here for a second."
Nino raised an eyebrow before shrugging, Adrien's arm falling off his shoulder as Nino walked towards Alya.
"What's up?" he asked. Alya pointed to the ceiling.
"Well, none of us are tall enough to paint the ceiling, right?"
"Right."
"But we don't know when Théo will get back - he could be ages at the main office, and we don't want to waste the day, do we?"
"Alya, where are you going with this?" Marinette asked, folding her arms as she looked at her friend suspiciously.
Alya grinned. "Well, if we can't reach the ceiling individually, we definitely could as a team. If Nino and Adrien give the two of us piggybacks, the rollers are just long enough to reach the ceiling so we can paint it!"
Adrien and Marinette looked at each other, matching looks of concern on their faces, before turning back their friends.
"Sounds fun!" Nino said to the redhead next to him. "Hey, let's make it a contest – whichever team paints the most of the ceiling wins!"
"Wins what?" Adrien asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned back against the wall by the door.
Nino frowned, pursing his lips as he thought. An idea came to him, and his face lit up.
"Losers have to buy the winners ice cream!" He exclaimed, lifting a finger as he nodded in approval at his own idea.
"Okaay. But this might not be a great idea guys - what if someone gets hurt?" Adrien said tentatively. Alya waved away the concern.
"We'll be fine, we just won't run. C'mon Nino, want to take on these two?"
"Sure!" Nino replied, turning his back to Alya so he could lift her in a piggyback as she leaned her roller against a corner.
"Adrien's right, this probably isn't a good idea," Marinette said, watching Alya hop onto Nino's back. She was impressed that he only stumbled a little when before straightening up, locking his arms around Alya's thighs before passing her his roller.
"C'mon Marinette, it'll be fun!" Nino grinned as Alya waved her paint roller above her head, making sure that it touched the ceiling.
"It has to be against some kind of health and safety code." Marinette tried again.
"Girl, just take a breath and get on Adrien's back so we can beat the two of you at painting this ceiling." Alya winked at Marinette, who made a cutting gesture at her throat as she looked quickly over at Adrien. He was watching Alya and Nino with one eyebrow raised, biting back a smile as he leaned against the wall.
"I mean, it's a school building, I'm sure there are ladders somewhere-" Marinette continued, eyes glancing between Adrien and Alya.
"Sounds like someone's worried they're gonna lose," Alya smirked, raising her eyebrows in a challenge to her best friend. Nino let out an "oooooooh" as he tilted his head to try and look up at the girl on his back, before giving up and facing Marinette.
"I guess that means we win by default, right Alya?" Nino asked, looking between Marinette and Adrien, who exchanged a glance. Adrien shook his head, moving away from the wall and towards Marinette with a small smile.
"Well, we can't have that now, can we?" Adrien winked at Marinette. "How about it? I promise I won't drop you."
Marinette waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head rapidly. "I'm really not sure-"
"C'mon girl, lighten up! Even Class Presidents have to have some fun now and again!" Alya exclaimed. Marinette threw her hands up in defeat, her shoulders sagging.
"Fine! But I'm not responsible if anyone gets hurt, okay?"
Nino and Alya nodded.
"Sounds fair," Nino agreed. "Now, get on Adrien's back so this competition can begin!"
Marinette steeled herself before putting down her roller and walking over to Adrien with determination. He smiled, turning his back to her and crouching slightly as she reached him, the paint roller gripped in one of his hands. Marinette tentatively placed her hands on his shoulders, earning her a thumbs-up from Alya which she prayed Adrien couldn't see.
"Ready?" Adrien said, looking over his shoulder at her. Marinette nodded, awkwardly grinning, and Adrien winked at her before facing Nino and Alya.
"Okay then. On the count of three - one, two, three!"
Marinette jumped, wrapping her legs around Adrien's waist as he straightened his back, her arms tightening around his shoulders while he adjusted to her weight on his back. One of his arms slipped around her thigh as he handed her the roller, and Marinette wondered if all of the good karma from saving Paris on a regular basis had been saving itself up for this day.
"Wow, that was smooth," Nino laughed as Adrien wrapped his newly freed hand around Marinette's other leg to secure her in place. "Adrien, you carry a lot of people around on your back?"
Marinette couldn't see Adrien's face from her position on his back, but could hear the laugh in his voice when he replied.
"Yeah, Nino, when I'm not modelling I'm actually a human taxi service for the people of Paris. You've discovered my secret."
"I knew it," came the reply from Adrien's best friend, as Alya and Marinette looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Alya flicked the brim on Nino's cap with her free hand.
"Well Adrien, now that we know about your secret double life, can we start this contest? I don't know how long Nino can hold me for."
"Hey!"
"Prove me wrong, Mr. DJ, prove me wrong. Okay, the rules: You guys start on that side of the ceiling, and we'll start from here," Alya gestured with her roller to opposite sides of the room. "Whoever gets to the center point first, which is marked by... that paint pot, wins."
Marinette brandished her paint roller at Alya. "Challenge accepted! But one question - what if we need to get more paint?"
Alya smirked. "Then I hope Adrien and Nino are good at balancing us while dipping rollers."
Marinette giggled at the look of fear which grew on Nino's face at Alya's words. She only got to glimpse it for a moment before Adrien was moving, carefully walking to their assigned corner so as not to jolt the girl on his back.
"That's right Agreste, run to your corner!" Nino called from the other side of the room where he was readjusting Alya into a more comfortable position. Adrien chuckled, looking over his shoulder to his friend.
"Just giving you guys time to come to terms with your inevitable defeat!" Adrien replied, winking at the other couple walking to their section of the room. "Are you okay up there?" He asked Marinette.
"Yep!" She replied, her voice an octave higher than usual. "I'm fine!"
"Okay, cool. Let me know if you need to readjust, though – I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."
"Thanks," she said, glad that Adrien couldn't see the blush creeping up her neck. "I will!"
When Adrien got to their corner, Marinette quickly made sure she could reach the ceiling with her roller. When they'd confirmed that she could (just about), Nino and Adrien rotated so they were facing each other at the opposite ends of the room.
"Ready?" Alya called, lifting her roller to the ceiling. Marinette imitated her friend's pose, scrunching her nose slightly as a drop of paint splattered onto her finger. She rubbed the spot with her thumb in an attempt to get it off, but only succeeded in smearing it onto her fingertips and the shaft of the roller, which waved precariously as she did so.
"Yo, Marinette, you good to go?" Nino asked. Marinette blinked, unconsciously squeezing Adrien's shoulder a bit tighter as she let out an awkward laugh.
"Sorry! Yep, I'm ready – ready to win!"
She heard Adrien laugh beneath her. "That's what I like to hear!" he said, tilting his head up to beam at Marinette.
"Okay, ready on three! One, two… three!" Alya cried, and Adrien and Nino began to move.
They started carefully, each boy slowly carrying the girl on their shoulders, making sure that they weren't jolted too much. But as Adrien's pace increased, so did Nino's; the two kept an eye on each other as they moved across the room, occasionally moving towards a paint pot to carefully dip the rollers and readjust Alya and Marinette.
But the boys underestimated the competitiveness of the girls on their backs; as Adrien and Marinette's lead increased, Alya poked Nino on the head.
"Nino, go faster! I don't have the money to buy them ice-cream, we have to win!"
Nino complied, increasing his speed as Alya kept the roller pressed against the ceiling. Adrien frowned, not wanting to go much faster, until Marinette whispered "We can't let them win! Go go go!"
When Adrien reached the wall, he flipped around quickly and sped up, moving faster than Nino and Alya, who then tried to match his speed. The quartet continued to do this, trying to race without going too fast, until the final stretch of ceiling became clear to them.
It looked like it was going to be a tie; each pair turned for the final time simultaneously, one strip of ceiling left for them to do. Nino and Adrien locked eyes, pausing for a moment before breaking into a run, the girls on their backs gripping their shoulders tightly as they held their rollers firmly on the ceiling.
Nino was charging closer to Adrien and Marinette than he thought he would, and Adrien realised that they pairs were going to collide if neither of them did anything. Nino came to the same realisation, and both tried to move out of the way to stop the collision. As he spun out of the way of his friend, Adrien's foot caught on the lid of the paint pot; he tried to regain his balance, but Marinette's presence on his back caused him to fall backwards as he tripped.
Marinette wasn't quite sure how Adrien did it, but as the two of them fell he quickly twisted so that Marinette landed on him, rather than the other way round. Marinette's body slammed against Adrien's as they hit the ground, the roller clattering on the floor as Marinette's hands shot out to break her fall. She opened her eyes to find herself hovering just above Adrien. Marinette pushed herself upright instantly so she was straddling him, her hands pressed against her cheeks as she looked down at him.
"Adrien! Are you okay?" She asked as Alya climbed off Nino's back, the pair rushing towards their friends on the floor.
"Dude, you alright?" Nino said, worry lacing his words as he ran over.
"I'm fine," Adrien replied with a slight groan as he pushed himself up, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "I've had worse." He looked at Marinette, searching her face with concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?
She nodded. "Yes! I mean, yeah, you... you, uh, broke my fall," Marinette replied, blushing as she realised that she was currently straddling Adrien. He sat upright, and suddenly his face was next to hers as he straightened up, his lips quirking upwards.
"Good, I'm glad you're alright," he said. He frowned slightly, worry creasing his forehead as Marinette seemed to freeze, her eyes locked on his as she noticed the position they were in.
Marinette didn't know why she did it; when Alya asked her later, she wouldn't have any explanation for her logic or thought process. All she knew was that she was suddenly very close to Adrien's face, and sheer panic had resulted in her lifting her hand, fingertip still smeared with paint from the roller, and softly poking Adrien's nose.
"Boop."
Everyone was silent as Marinette moved her hand away, leaving a splotch of white paint on her crush's nose; her mouth dropped open as her mind caught up with her body, and she was sure everyone could hear her internally screaming.
She was straddling Adrien, and had just booped his nose. Really, she thought, now would be a fantastic time for an akuma to attack her, preferably one which would help her disappear forever. She shot off Adrien like he was on fire, hands covering her mouth as she leaped off him, paint streaking her face.
"I'm sorry! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Marinette squeaked. Adrien blinked, rubbing his nose with the palm of his hand. Looking down at the smudge of paint on the heel of his palm, he started to laugh. And once the floodgates had opened, Nino and Alya couldn't help but join in at the look of shock on Marinette's face.
"Girl, you look like you just stabbed him," Alya chuckled, moving towards her best friend and slipping her arm around her shoulder comfortingly. Marinette didn't move, frozen in her position of horror as Nino went to give Adrien a hand up.
Théo had no idea what had happened when he came back into the classroom a few moments later, ready to tell his volunteers that they could leave. He was sure there was some explanation for why the boy in the cap was doubled over laughing whilst the blonde boy was trying to reassure the girl with pigtails, who stood frozen in dismay as the redhead laughed quietly next to her - but Théo wasn't sure he wanted to know it.
He backed out of the classroom, noting the paint on the ceiling and nodding.
Whatever had happened, the job was done, which meant Théo could go back to his studio and continue to work on his next statue.
So he did.