Appreciating Chat Noir

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chat Noir stared at his dad feeling resigned and defeated. Hawkmoth had tied him up in a chair and placed him back in the cage after Ladybug, Rena Rouge, and Carapace left. It had only been a short while and already it had felt like an eternity of feeling trapped. Who knows for sure how long it's been and for how long it'll continue. He just hoped that they were all alright.

Hawkmoth returned to the cage. "Help me get Ladybugs earrings and I'll let you go."

"No." His voice was quiet but firm.

"Don't you want your freedom?"

"Not like that. That's not what real freedom looks like. I'm not helping you." Chat Noir looked up at him with a fierce defiance in his voice, and a hardness in his jaw.

"Well then I guess I might as well take your miraculous right now then since you are useless to me." The older man said casually in a flippant tone.

"Don't you have more important things to do? A family? A life? A kid?"

Hawkmoth looked over and gave him a sharp look. "You are awfully mouthy for someone who doesn't have very many options."

"And you seem to spend an awful lot of time trying to get your dead wife back when you have your son right there. What about him? Doesn't he matter to you?" He spat angrily.

"She's not dead! Just... in a coma." He cried.

"Are you sure? She's been in a coma for a long time. All the while you've ignored and neglected your only son." He stopped himself from saying more.

Hawkmoth narrowed his eyes at him. "How do you know so much about this?"

"I'm just making some observations. Anyone with eyes can see it." Chat Noir avoided eye-contact.

Suddenly there was the distinct noise of a cellphone ringing. Hawkmoth whipped his head around to look at the noise. "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back."

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow. He was literally tied to a chair. He couldn't go anywhere even if he tried. Or could he?

He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but he could clearly see Hawkmoth talking on the phone. He had turned his back to him.

Since he was facing the other way, maybe there was a chance after all. As carefully as he could Chat Noir stood up and shuffled to the wall of the cage. Then he smashed the chair as hard as he could against the surface. It made a loud noise, but didn't break. He would have to put more force into it and find the right angle. Damn it, what did he learn in physics class again?

He looked to see if the coast was clear

Chat Noir looked up and knew he only had moments before Hawkmoth would come back. If he wanted to free himself, he only had moments before it was too late. He tried again, putting enough force into it to cut a diamond. He smiled as the chair miraculously smashed under his weight. The rope loosened, allowing him to break free.

"Yes!" He mumbled under his breath. It worked!

"What's that?" Hawkmoth whipped around and began marching back to the cage while whispering into the phone 'I'll have to call you back'.

Chat Noir gathered the rope and backed away from that side of the cage.

"You there, what on earth do you think you're doing?! Did I not tell you to stay put???" Hawkmoth demanded incredulously.

Chat Noir looked up with a smirk. "Since when do I listen to you?"

"If you really care about your friends, you'd better do what I tell you." The older man said coldly.