It's funny, how everything you're ever known can suddenly change.
Those were the words that rang through Ladybug's mind as she wistfully studied the only place that she had ever known as home from the roof of a dark building. The city was beautiful at night, in the distance she could see the Eiffel Tower, standing tall and glowing brightly.
It was weird to realize that tonight would be the last time that she would see it again. It was strange, to know that tomorrow everything would be different, that everything would change and she could do nothing to stop it.
She should be at the graduation party right now, laughing and talking with her friends as they enjoyed their last night together before they all parted ways to go spread their wings and begin their lives. It was a scary thought. The world was a big place, full of many unknown things, but the time had come for her to get up and go find her place in it.
Ladybug sighed as she hugged her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry. It was funny, almost ironic. She had faced many villains over the years, gone up against greater evils and had even managed to defeat the Papillon. Yet, none of those had scared her as much as this scared her.
Sure, she had done all those things, but she had done them with Chat Noir by her side. They were a team, and for eight years they had worked together to keep Paris safe from the greatest evil known to man. He was always there for her, even when things had gotten rough and when forces tried to break them apart, the strings of their friendship had always remained strong.
It wasn't the thought of growing up and being an adult that truly terrified her, it was the fact that she and Chat would have to part ways. She had known this day would come eventually, they couldn't be superheroes for the rest of their lives. When they had defeated the Papillon, their ultimate enemy, she had known that their days together were numbered, but she had chosen to simply push those thoughts to the back of her mind. But now, graduation day had come and passed, the time had come for it to end.
From behind, she heard the soft thud of foot landing on the concrete floor and the slightly heavy breathing of a certain cat superhero. Chat Noir had finally arrived.
His hair was slightly more messed up than usual and he appeared to be out of breath, but his eyes held the same bright shine that they always had. "Good evening, my lady." He grinned as he bowed dramatically.
Ladybug chuckled at his antics, all her worries and fears brushed away by Chat's arrival. "Hi, Chat." She greeted, getting up from where she had been sitting to walk closer to him. "You're looking...a little more flustered than usual." She teased, poking him gently on the nose.
"That's because you take my breath away, my lady." Chat winked as he replied smoothly without skipping a beat.
"Have trouble coming here tonight?" Ladybug asked, rolling her eyes a bit at his flirting. She was really going to miss these moments that they had together, even if it did get annoying when Chat flirted so much.
"Yup." Chat sighed as he ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it. "Today was a pretty big day, and it wasn't so easy to slip away unnoticed." His eyes faltered for a bit and for a millisecond a tired look flashed across his face before being replaced with his trademark grin.
"We'll be done quick, don't worry." She promised, although it caused her a pang of sadness. She knew that it was selfish of her to ask Chat to meet up with her tonight, he was wasting the little time he had left with his friends to come patrol with her, but she just wanted a chance to properly say goodbye to him.
"After you, Bugaboo." Chat gestured to her. "Lead the way."
They went off, jumping between buildings and flying through the air as they checked every little nook and cranny of the city for any suspicious people or crimes. The city was quiet at night, not one little peep could be heard and that was expected. Ever since Hawkmoth had been defeated, the crime in Paris had decreased dramatically and there was really no need for them to patrol at night anymore.
As they crossed off more and more areas off their patrol list, Ladybug could feel her heart grow heavier and heavier with each second that went by. The end was near, the time to say goodbye was nearly upon them and she wasn't ready, she didn't want to leave him yet.
Chat kept sneaking glances at her, studying the troubling look on her face, but he chose not to say anything and for that she was grateful. She wanted to focus on patrolling.
"Well, tonight was pretty quiet," Chat finally spoke when they arrived back at the original building they had met on. "They was really no need for us to patrol."
"I know, but I wanted to..." Ladybug sighed sadly as she slumped against a wall and stared down at the floor. "Just one last time, before..." She blinked, surprised to find that her eyes were full of tears threatening to spill and run down all over her cheeks. She quickly wiped her hand across her face and got rid of them.
Chat was quiet for a few seconds, he looked at her intently, a rare serious expression was spread across his face. He walked over to her and sat down besides her. "I guess it is the last time, huh?" He asked, his voice full of sadness. "Today's been a day full of last times. The last time going to school, the last time seeing all my friends, but...I didn't realize, this'll be the last time we see each other."
"I know..." Ladybug said quietly as she looked up at the sky. "It's so strange...to think...that this'll all end..."
"Tomorrow, we start the rest of our lives," Chat looked up at her and smiled sadly. "These past few years have been the best of my life, Ladybug. I'd give anything to be able to spend a little more time with you."
Ladybug didn't say anything, she couldn't. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she'd choke up and the waterworks would open up. She did the only thing she could, she sat down next to him and placed a comforting arm around his shoulder.
Chat had other ideas. He suddenly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Goodbye, my lady." Chat whispered softly as he buried his head in her shoulder and tightened his grip.
"Goodbye, Chat." Ladybug quietly replied back. She didn't want to let go of him all she wanted was for them to just stay like that forever.
They stayed like that for a few moments, just quietly enjoying each other's comfort and warmth while looking up at the nigh sky and gazing at it's beauty.
"Ladybug?" Chat was the first to break the silence that had settled between them. His voice was hesitant, as if he was afraid to say what was on his mind.
"Yeah?" Ladybug looked up at him curiously, surprised by the sudden nervousness he displayed.
"I want you to have this." Chat pulled away from the hug so that he could dig something out of his pocket. Once he got it, he held it out to her. In his palm laid a bracelet made up of red string and a few colorful beads. He smiled softly at it before nodding towards Ladybug. "Something to remember me by."
Ladybug stared down at the bracelet, wondering why it looked so familiar and trying to figure out why Chat had it. "What is it? Did you make?" She asked curiously, leaning in closer to inspect it up close. She didn't know why, but she knew that she had seen it somewhere before, but she couldn't remember where and it was driving her insane.
"It's a good luck charm." Chat explained as he gently put the bracelet in Ladybug's hand and closed her fingers around it. "It means a lot to me, one of my close friends gave it to me a few years ago, but I want you to have it. So you'll never forget me."
His words struck a chord in her and suddenly the memory of the bracelet came flooding back to her. She had given Adrien the bracelet years ago when they had been practicing for the video game tournament, how could she have forgotten? That's why it looked so familiar. But the one thing she couldn't understand, was how Chat had gotten a hold of it. Unless...
She looked at Chat again, taking in every single detail about him, from his perfectly messed up blonde hair to his shining green eyes and soft smile. She grasped sharply as the reality slammed into her, it was so obvious...how had she not figured it out earlier.
Chat was looking at her strangely. "My lady?" He asked, taken back by her reaction. It was just a bracelet, why did she appear to be in shock, as if she had just found out that her life was a lie? Ladybug looked at him and smiled softly. The look on her face made his heartbeat speed up and his cheeks heat up.
"Chat, I'll never forget you." Ladybug promised as she swiftly stepped forward to place a small peck on his cheek. It happened so fast, he thought that he may have just imagined it, but the blushing look on her face told him otherwise. "And I promise, we'll see each other again."
And just like that, she was gone, leaving behind a very confused and lovesick cat boy. Chat looked at the spot where she had been standing just seconds before as he replayed everything that had just happened in the last few minutes in his head. She was gone, but he didn't feel sad.
"I'll be waiting, my lady." Chat whispered softly to the night sky as he smiled at the memory of his ladybug. He couldn't explain it but deep down inside, he knew that they'd meet again.