Breaking Free

1) Cages

Chat Noir's POV
The streets of Paris seemed eerily quiet tonight as Chat Noir flung over the roof tops.

He wasn't running for any particular reason, not really, he just had to get away.

The leather clad hero would be the first to admit his claustrophobia, and no better way to describe his home right now than as an iron cage. No matter how far he ran, how high he jumped,  he would always find his way back to the bars.

His breath was heavy as he continued to run. Farther, and farther. Only to stop after reaching the Notre Dame Cathedral. If there was ever a good time to go to church, it would be tonight. He couldn't help but think.

The moment he landed on the roof, he released his transformation. Despite the usual feeling of freedom his suit offered, today was an exception. And despite everything, it was almost as if the mask was suffocating him even more.

"Plagg, claws in." He panted, his words breaking up as if he were being strangled.

"Kid-"

"Not now." Adrien snapped, making his kwami fly back.

"Not today." He felt tears brimming his eyes as he thought about the course of the day.

This Friday morning, he woke up expecting the next twenty four hours to be absolute hell. Though it never struck him just how much he could underestimate it.

His entire day was filled to the brink with mandatory photo shoots, piano lessons, fencing, and impromptu Chinese courses.

Yes, his schedule was generally packed, but this was breaking a record. He missed an entire day of school just to fulfill his father's wishes.

Of course, Adrien knew that the overworking and stress was entirely on purpose. He would expect no less than this from his father, but the fact that he would do anything to avoid having to look his son in the eye reached a new low.

He wouldn't even look at me. The tears in Adrien's eyes began to stream down his red cheeks, stabbing at him with every thought.

He refused to mention her.

And this was all due to the tragic events that had unfolded in the Agreste household exactly three years ago today.

It was like she never existed.

Three years since his mother had gone missing.

Of course, as much as it pained Adrien, he had come to the conclusion long ago that she would not be coming back. Whether she left on her own accord or was... was...

No. He wouldn't say it. But whatever the circumstance, three years was a long time to hold out hope.

I haven't seen her for 1,095 days. The number gnawed at him, eating him from the inside out. Did she not want him? Was he the reason she left? Was she hurt or kidnapped? Was he a disappointment? All the questions he had asked a million times over played nonstop, each one hitting him harder than the last.

His unanswered questions were interrupted by the soft ding of his phone, indicating it was midnight. Twelve a.m. A new day. Despite the reassurance of a new sunrise and another chance, one he would hopefully spend doing something other than sulk, all that would run through his mind was a new number.

1,096.

To make the events of the day before even worse, the one day he needed nothing more than the support and love of his friends, all he received were the shouts and reprimands of his coaches, photographers, and teachers.

Many of his friends had gone out of their way to send him a message or present, which Adrien was unbelievably greatful for, but sympathy cards and pity gifts did no justice to seeing them in person.

Then, of course, there was the akuma. Some girl didn't make a sports team and threw a tantrum. What was new there?

Usually seeing his lady would raise his spirits, but he had not been in the mood to be rejected and pushed aside by the love of his life this time around.

Of course, she didn't know. Ladybug had no idea how much her partner was hurting, and how his lack of flirtatious advances really meant that something was wrong.

All of this, among other things, only escalated when he finally returned home around 9:30, later than his regular scheduled activities had ever taken him, as Nathalie briskly walked him past his father's office and up the stairs.

But he didn't miss what was going on.

Even with the office door closed, Adrien could hear his father's anger. Vases shattering, tables slamming, and pure rage echoing through out the empty marble halls.

Over the last three years he had felt a lot of pain, but never so much as he had only hours before.

His solution?

Grab his cheese loving kwami and storm the city, and just hope it's too dark for the few tourists still wandering the streets to notice a super hero having a breakdown.

She didn't want me. She left. I wasn't good enough. She... she's dead.

All of the possibilities continued to run through his mind, replaying like a busted record.

"Stop!" He wailed, clutching his blonde hair in both hands.

"Make it stop! Just come back home! Please, Mom, don't leave me!"

And with that he cried, his kwami clueless on how to help, other than to fly by his side and remind him he would always be there.

His mourning came to an abrupt end, though, the moment he heard a scream across the street.

Someone was in trouble, and no matter how upset or hurt Adrien might've been, his city always came first.

With a few deep breaths and a wipe of his eyes, the 16 year old turned to his kwami.

"I-I'm sorry, Plagg. I don't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't of used you to vent... I promise it won't happen a-"

"Don't say that, kid. You've got nothing to be sorry for!" Plagg let out one of his quite rare rants of encouragement.

"You have it hard, not to mention you have two identities! If some people can complain their whole lives, then you deserve one day to get over your issues. I mean if my cheese went moldy, I would run away too. Probably to the cheese store," he muttered between breaths, "but that's beside the point. Yesterday was like a big sack of rotten camambert, you deserve a break. Now wipe off those tears and go buy some more! Or check on that screaming citizen, whatever churns you're cheese."

He froze to look at his master, his holder, his friend.

"You're Chat Noir! Everyone loves you! Your friends love you, I love you! And if your dad is too big of a douche to give you the time of day you deserve, then screw him. You deserve to be happy. You know the words."

"Thanks Plagg," Adrien chuckled, moved by his kwami's out of character "caring" outburst.

"I needed that." And with a final breath he knew what he had to do.

"Today is a new day. I'm not in a cage. I'm really free... claws out."