Talking with Ladybug was easy. There wasn't a whole lot to say, but she found ways to ask intriguing questions and spark curiosity in me. Even if I was talking to her through a wall, I'd still be in love with her. But seeing her face light up with laughter or excitement was a bonus. 

They told us to learn ten new things about our partners. I learned so, so much more. At one point in the night, we heard the doors to the hall latch shut. "So be it. We're not done." Ladybug had said, leaning against my shoulder.

Ladybug's shoes lay discarded on the ground, bare feet flat on the marble bench. She was toying with a leaf she'd found, poking holes and twisting it. We had fallen silent, and I was weaving flowers together. The only sound was our breathing and the occasional scratch of my fingers against the flower stems. "There." I said, holding up the crown.

Turning without disturbing Ladybug, I placed the crown on her head. "What's this?" She asked, pulling the wreath from her hair.

"A flower crown." Ladybug's eyebrows knitted together before she broke into a smile.

"Wow! Where'd you learn to make this, Chat?" Ladybug asked, putting the crown back into her hair.

"I have my ways."

"It's beautiful." Ladybug said, jumping up.

"Fit for a lady, I hope." I joked.

"Fit for a princess!" Ladybug said, twirling.

"Looks nice, M'lady." I said, pulling my legs up into a cross-legged position, which turned out to be extremely difficult in dress pants.

"Thank you." Ladybug said, sitting back down.

Suddenly, she shifted over onto her knees. "What are you-" Ladybug put the crown on my head.

"I think," Ladybug sat back down, "It looks much better," She leaned forward, in front of me, "On you." Ladybug tapped my nose lightly.

We looked at each other a minute, Ladybug smiling playfully, and I smiling skeptically. We burst into laughter then, gripping our sides and folding over. "Hey! Who's out here?" Someone gruffly yelled.

Ladybug's eyes widened. "What do we do?" She whispered frantically.

"Come with me." I said, grabbing Ladybug's hand.

She hurriedly pulled on her shoes before we ran off, down the path of flowers and bushes. I stopped, but Ladybug was still running. I quickly clothes-lined her and her legs lifted from the ground. "What?" I dragged Ladybug off again as a flashlight beam came into view.

"Behind us." I whispered, pulling Ladybug behind a wall of shrubs.

She leaned over slightly, pulling back and breathing heavy. "Now what?" She whispered.

I searched the area but couldn't figure out what to do. "Well, grip your lucky charm and hope it works out." I said, quoting my disappeared mother.

Ladybug gasped, patting herself down for something. "A-ha!" She said, pulling a little beaded string from a pocket in the inside of her dress's skirt.

Gripping it tightly, Ladybug squeezed her eyes shut. Suddenly, Ladybug gripped my hand again and pulled us quickly past the security guard holding the flashlight. "Hey! You two!" He yelled, chasing us. 

"You got a plan?" I asked, huffing.

"No!" Ladybug called back, and I could see the glint of her teeth in a smile.

"Why are you happy right now?" I asked rhetorically.

Ladybug laughed, earning a smile from me. "Stop!" A flashlight beam cast our shadows in front of us.

Ladybug pulled me then, jerking us to the side and into a separate section completely. "Ugh," She said, holding the branches of a tree apart.

Ladybug took a deep breath before pulling us both into the gap. "Sorry if your clothes are ruined." She remarked.

"I could always expand my wardrobe further." I said quietly.

"Where did you two go?" The security agent asked, waving his flashlight around.

"It's three in the morning. Seriously guys. Either leave quietly or show yourselves." Ladybug scooted closer to me when the guard turned around, squishing ourselves closer still.

"You know, Snuff, this job will really get the best of ya. Must've been some plants or something. Must be my sight. Boy, am I getting old." The man said, crouching over to scratch the chin of a scruffy little dog.

He walked off, humming a tune. Ladybug exhaled with relief after we were sure the man and his dog had left. "Did you see his puppy? Oh, he was so cute!" Ladybug gushed.

"Wow! You're good, Bugaboo." I remarked.

Ladybug turned around to face me, unimpressed. "Bugaboo?"

"Yes. One of your many new nicknames." I stated.

"What are some of the others?" She asked skeptically.

"Well, there's Bugaboo, M'lady, LB, Bugin-"

"That's enough. Just call me Ladybug." Ladybug waved a hand in the air dismissively.

"Okay, cutie-bug." I smirked.

"Why you-" Ladybug rushed after me, and we raced through the garden giddily, finally reaching a locked gate.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow- today- later." Ladybug said, holding out a hand to shake.

I swept onto over into a bow, grasping her hand. "Until we meet again, M'ladybug." I said, planting a kiss on her hand.

Ladybug pulled her hand back and then pushed me back by my nose. "Nicknames, cat. Now, hoist me over this gate." Ladybug said, looking up at the gate, over twice the size of me.

Whom Ladybug was smaller than. I held out my hands, almost like a a volleyball player about to bump the ball. Ladybug stepped back and took a short running start to my hands, placing a foot in my hand before stepping on my shoulder to launch herself over. Ladybug grabbed the top of the gate, pulling herself to the sit on top of it. "What are you waiting for?" She teased.

"Help me, Bugaboo." I said, stepping up some uneven bars.

I reached the last horizontal bar, holding out a hand for Ladybug. She barely reached, so instead she held out her leg. I raised an eyebrow before tentatively grabbing her small ankle. Ladybug reached down, and I pulled myself further up before grabbing her hand. "For someone so little, you sure are strong." I remarked, joining her on the crest of the gate.

"Thank you." Ladybug smirked, tipping backwards.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

Ladybug continued to tip backwards, until she was upside down. She pulled her legs off the gate, flipping. Her body slammed against the gate, rattling it. "Oh dear God." I said, falling from the gate.

Ladybug had landed below me and held out her arms to try and catch me. I landed in her arms, taking us both to the ground. "Good catch." I said, trying to calm my heart.

"Thank you." Ladybug said, pushing me off her.

"Good night, Chat." She said, standing and brushing herself off.

"Good night, Ladybug." I said, taking her outstretched hand and standing up.

I watched her skip off before swooning and falling to the ground again.