Midnight Under The Eiffel Tower

Chapter 6

"Wait, we're solving each other's mysteries?" Marinette interrupted, jerking forward in her seat. "You didn't say that!"

Nino frowned, thinking back. "Oh. I didn't? I meant to."

"That changes my plans," Marinette muttered. She began to mentally revise her list of potential clues. Adrien grinned.

"Already making plans, partner?" He held up his hand for a high five. Marinette smiled, slapping his palm. "We're totally going to win."

"Wait! There's more!" Nino took a sip of his smoothie before continuing. "We have until noon. The last clue had better lead to some treasure-something totally cooler than just a normal clue. Then we meet back here for lunch and then give each other the first clue." He grinned. "It's going to be totally awesome!"

"Wait, so we're just running around Paris? By ourselves?" Marinette's eyes widened with anxiety.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Adrien rubbed his ring, promising himself that he'd transform if things got messy. "Anything else?"

"That's pretty much it." Alya stood, clutching her smoothie and thrusting her open hand into the center of their circle. "Are you guys in?"

"I'm in!" Nino jumped up and put his hand on Ayla's.

"This should be fun!" Adrien stood and put his hand over Nino's. He turned and beamed at Marinette. "You coming, partner?"

Marinette sighed, rising to her feet. "Sure. What could go wrong?"

"Great!" Alya smirked. "And time starts...now!" Laughing, she and Nino grabbed their smoothies and ran for the door.

"Oh!" Nino turned, rushing back over. He picked up a notepad and a pen. "I might need these!"

"Come on, Nino!" Ayla called, holding open the door.

Grinning, Nino saluted his competitors. "Good luck, dudes! See you this afternoon!"

Alya waved and then the two of them left the shop, the door slamming shut behind them.

Adrien took a deep breath, reaching out to take the paper and pen. Simultaneously, Marinette sighed and stretched her arm out toward the same paper and pen. Their hands touched, and they both drew back, blushing.

"You go ahead!" Adrien smiled awkwardly. "You're the artist here."

"But you know the big things in Paris better than me!" Marinette blurted. "You should write the clues."

Adrien laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "How about we switch off? You do the first, and then I'll do the next."

"Work together!" Tikki whispered from Marinette's bag, as Plagg hissed, "How about you work on all of them together?"

Both Adrien and Marinette jumped, their eyes frantic. Adrien grabbed the sides of his jacket and yanked it closed. Marinette swung her purse behind her back, holding it there.

"H-How about we work on them together?" Adrien suggested faintly.

Marinette nodded hastily. "I think that's a good idea."

Adrien grinned, his anxiety diffusing. "All right, well, I think you should be the scribe. Your handwriting is way better than mine.

Marinette giggled, pulling the small pad of paper closer to her. "All right, as long as you keep us from getting lost."

"Deal." Adrien winked and held out a hand. Marinette took it, trying not to blush, and the two shook on their new plan.

"Great! Where to first?" Adrien let go of Marinette's hand and pulled out his phone, ready to input coordinates.

"Ummm..." Marinette tapped the pen on her chin, thinking. "Let's try for a pattern in the clues, and the last one completes the pattern."

"Like a circle?" Adrien asked, his brow furrowing as he scrolled through a map of Paris.

Marinette tilted her head. "Well, Paris is just a big circle. Maybe something a little less obvious."

"Most of the main things are all in the center in a line, though," Adrien realized, zooming in on the Ile de la Cite. "Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame, the Louvre, Les Champs Elysees..."

"Not all of them," Marinette pointed out, sketching a quick map of the landmarks of Paris. "There's the Centre Pompidou, Luxembourg gardens, the Eiffel Tower..." She trailed off, looking at her sketch. Adrien looked up from his phone.

"What? What do you see?" He leaned closer to her, staring down at the notepad.

Marinette grinned. "I've got it!" She traced a line between all her landmarks, the tip of her tongue protruding out the corner of her mouth. Adrien frowned thoughtfully as he followed Marinette's pen. Marinette stopped at the Arc de Triomphe and held out the pen to Adrien, grinning.

"Care to finish off the number?"

Adrien shot Marinette a bewildered look, then stared back at the paper. He studied it for a moment, then his eyes lit up and he laughed in amazement.

"Marinette, you're a genius!" He grabbed the pen and traced the final line over to the Eiffel Tower. "It's a one!"

Marinette beamed. "Yeah, that's it!"

Adrien tucked the pen in his pocket and grabbed Marinette's hand.

"Come on, let's get going!" He jumped to his feet and yanked Marinette toward the door. She clutched the notebook closer to her chest and laughed.

"Are you ready to win, partner?" Adrien asked, squeezing Marinette's hand as he shouldered open the door to the cafe.

"You bet!" Marinette's eyes twinkled as she gazed out over Paris. A whole day with Adrien...Marinette thought to herself blissfully. What could be better?