Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"I didn't do it." Marcel said, eyes downcast.

"The evidence is right here Marcel, don't deny it." Miss. Bustier spoke, anger lacing her tone.

Lyles notebook lies torn in Marcel's locker. Lyle in tears next to Miss. Bustier.

"I'm being framed." 

Marcel's eyes devoid of any emotion already used to the lies and accusations Lyle spews. Knowing what's about to come. Knowing no one is going to believe him or come to his defense.

Lyle transferred into Françoise Dupont High School two years ago. Introducing himself to the class as the son of an Italian diplomat. At first Marcel didn't see the deception in what he told the class, having no reason to think he was lying. Until he said he saved jagged stones Cat and was now his honorary nephew.

After that Marcel knew he was lying. Firstly, Jagged Stone is allergic to cats, a simple Google search would prove the obvious lie.

After that everything that came out of Lyle's mouth was not to be trusted.

'I have arthritis, could you please write my notes, Alya?'

'Prince Ali and I are practically best friends.'

'I have connections I could totally put in a word for your DJ career Nino.'

'You should totally put me on your blog Alya, I bet it'll gain more views.'

'I donate to so many charities I can barely keep track.' 

'Chat Noir and I are best friends.'

'Juleka, are you sure you wanna go into modeling? It might not be the best career path.'

Lie after lie was told and the class believed every single one of them.

He threatened to start turning my friends against me if I ever tried exposing his lies. I didn't believe he would do that, I didn't think my friends would turn on me.

I tried telling the class, I even brought proof, but it was never enough.

It hurt- the betrayal- I had so much faith that I would be able to convince them. 

Little by little everyone left me. Lyle came up with some lie or a story about how I bullied him and how I was jealous because of his connections. I never was.

It started small.

"Marcel copied off my homework."

"Marcel ruined my shirt."

"Marcel ripped up my homework."

"Marcel stole my jewelry my great grandma gave me."

"Marcel is bullying me."

"Marcel attacked me."

Spreading lies and framing me for things I didn't do. Claiming I was the bully. That I was the liar. 

Everyone believed him, even Alya.

Now we're standing in front of my open locker, isolated from the rest. Where Lyle's destroyed notebook lies.

"Marcel what you've done is horrendous, stealing and damaging people's things. I should suspend you!" Miss. Bustier shouted, gaining the attention of my frien- classmates. 

'Not friends. Classmates.'

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" One of my classmates said, "Here he goes again bullying Lyle." Another one spoke.

"I was locked in the storage room all lunch period, how could I have enough time to do this to lyles notebook." I sighed knowing this wasn't going to go anywhere.

"Who else would have done it!? It's in your locker." Miss. Bustier said.

"Check the cameras then." I started with a sigh. I just wanna go home and take a nap. I couldn't get any sleep last night because of the akuma attack that lasted for 6 whole hours , only getting one hour of sleep.

Not enough to function.

"There's no need when we have the proof right here, I suggest you apologise before heading to the principal's office for your punishment." Miss. Bustier said in a stern voice, leaving no room for argument.

"I apologise for destroying your notebook Lyle. It was very mean of me to destroy it and I will never do it again, I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me." It feels like I've recited this 'apology' at least a million times.

"I accept your apology Marcel." Lyle said with a smile on his face, morbid glee shining in his eyes.

"Head down to the office Marcel, I'll be there shortly."

I pick up my backpack and quickly walk out of the room. I feel a sting pressing on the back of my eyelids.

'Don't cry. Don't cry. It's pointless.'

I squeeze my eyes shut and will away the tears.

'I should be used to this by now.'

Stopping in front of Principals Damocles office I stare at my black converse. 

'I hope I don't get suspended this time.'

Taking a deep, steadying breath I knock on his office door.

 "Come in."

Chapter Text

Taking a deep steadying breath, Marcel knocks on his office door.

"Come in."

Marcel slowly steps into the office and shuts the door silently behind him.

"Marcel, what brings you to my office this time?" Mr. Damocles sighs and massages his temple.

Marcel sits down on the chair across from Mr. Damocles.

"Lyle framed me for ruining his notebook." Defeat was clear in Marcel's voice as he answered the principal's question.

"Now Marcel, I highly doubt Lyle would frame you for something like that." He said, shaking his head at the teen. Like it's his fault, like this hasn't been a reoccurring problem since Lyle has transferred, like he's disappointed that Marcel would even think Lyle would do such a malicious thing.

"But-" he cuts the teen off, "Marcel you're overreacting, Lyle is a very kind student and I'm pretty sure this is all just a big misunderstanding."

'A misunderstanding…?'

The boy took a shuddering breath trying to keep his emotions in check, not wanting to attract an Akuma. 

'I should be used to this by now. I shouldn't be upset over something as mundane as this.' Marcel breathes in deeply.

"Sir-" he once again cuts off Marcel, "I'll be suspending you for two weeks for bullying and destruction of personal property."

"Two weeks!?"

"Do I need to call your parents?" 

"No sir Mr. Damocles, I'm sorry for shouting." Marcel says, eyes downcast. The presence of Plagg kept him calm throughout the rest of the 'meeting'.

.

“Do you want me to cataclysm them for you?"

"No, Plagg."

"C'mon kit! Just say the word and I will!"

"I know you would Plagg but I don't wanna hurt anybody."

"But they're hurting you!"

"Yeah...but it doesn't give me the right to hurt them."

The Kwami gave a loud, dramatic sigh as his holder once again denied his offer. It's not like he would get caught! Grumbling, the tiny God snuggled into Marcel's hair. Mumbling about Marcel being too kind for this world.

"I also need to finish planning this class trip and I can't finish that if I'm planning my classmate's doom."

"You wouldn't be doing the planning kitten, I would do all the work for you."

Giggling at his kwamis antics Marcel stretched in his desk chair, having been sitting there for the past four hours trying to get everything in check for the class trip to Gotham. He has all the permission slips from parents, a hotel provided by Bruce Wayne himself, and a schedule prepared for the first week.

After looking everything over one last time the teen closed out of his laptop and put up his papers.

"Plagg, claws out."

.

'Maybe being suspended for two weeks won't be so bad.' 

Chapter Text

After his two week suspension- or vacation as he'd like to call it Marcel was back at school. He was really surprised when his parents didn't kick him out and instead just grounded him from going out with friends… even though he didn't have any. Now that he thinks about it, it's kinda sad but he has Plagg and the other kwamis so, no big deal right?

Anyways he was glad the principal decided on two weeks instead of three or else he would have missed the Gotham field trip and after all the planning Marcel did by himself? Yeah he would have been pissed if wasn't allowed to go to something he planned. Did he mention that he planned the trip all by himself? Yeah not even his homeroom teacher helped.

Sighing to himself he adjusted himself so he could sleep comfortably on the plane. Chris was sitting next to him with an eye-sleep mask on his face and one earbud blasting music the other in Marcel's ear, ready to block out everyone and everything on this plane ride to Gotham, together.

.

Having all his luggage with him and intact must've been a blessing from the Kwamis. Marcel is genuinely surprised he has all his things, thinking at least one thing ought to go wrong as soon as he stepped off the plane.

After everyone dropped their luggage off in their own hotel rooms everyone boarded the bus for the second time that day.

The two young Kwamis users were once again seated in the back hoping not to be bothered. That hope was well lived because instead of bothering them as usual Lyle decided he should talk about his amazing time working with the Wayne's.

Need I remind you we're in Gotham. The city with the highest crime rate in America and Lyle decided he has this sacred relationship with the Wayne's that is so special and sweet that they would do anything for him. From Marcels research most major villains go after high class citizens in Gotham and if this random french kid is claiming to be besties with the fucking Wayne's of all people then it's most likely going to end horribly. No, not most likely, it is.

Just his luck.

.

An upside to being in Gotham is the architecture. Marcel loved all the unique buildings. The dark gloomy look was a contrast to the bright lights of Paris, it was begging to be drawn. 

Something about this city drew him in like a fish on a hook. He felt it, the tugging on his soul. It wasn't just the inspiration for clothes and original art pieces no, it was the amount of destruction inside this city, it felt like the city was being drowned with no breaks for the air it desperately needed.

Something is wrong here. He doesn't feel any unknown magic being used. He can't feel any type of spell either so his best guess is it's a natural cause because of all the crimes and major villains or a very powerful mage who's able to hide their presence, but given Gotham's reputation he's betting on the former.

His class is inside the Gotham museum now, Marcel's favorite location out of all the places planned for this trip.

"My feet hurt so much." Chris drags out the word much as he sits on a bench.

"C'mon Chris it's not that bad." Marcel chuckled a little at the end of his sentence. Chris was such a drama queen when it came to walking anywhere "boring".

"Not that bad? You're biased because this is like an artist's wet dream, you can't have an opinion." Chris rolls his eyes and crosses his legs while he looks up at Marcel, who's still standing.

Surprised at the thing that just came out of his best friend's mouth Marcel snorts with laughter at the absurdity of his sentence. "Wet dream?" Marcel clutches his stomach and bends over, tears leaking from his eyes.

"Mar It was not that funny." Chris was holding back a laugh himself as Marcel continued to laugh. He didn't find what he said funny just amusing but Marcel's laugh was like a trigger for laughing gas to be released because next thing he knows he's laughing too.

"What's so funny?" The two boys laughing fit stopped. Guess they could never enjoy themselves fully with Lyle around.

Lyle stood on the opposite side of the bench that Chris was sitting on. His arms were folded across his chest while his face held a smug grin. This was gonna end horribly.