Soulmate For Hire

Confusion Feels...Confusing

I promise I'll get to the meaty meat of the story soon, I just needed a filler chapter

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When Marinette started her day, she didn't expect to meet another soulmate-less person, or for him to ask her to pretend to be her soulmate.

"I know it's crazy--" He started, but Marinette quickly cut him off.

"No shit it's crazy! Why would I do that? We don't even know each other!" Marinette swiftly moved her hand away from him and back into her lap.

"Look, I know full well how insane that sounds, but I told my family that I have a soulmate. My brother was being a dick about it and it just came out." Tim tried to explain.

"I came here to figure out what to do. And then I met you, and you seem so nice--the kind of person my family would love! And like freaking fate, you go by M--which is the name I gave my family!"

Marinette wasn't sure what to do. This handsome boy was asking her to pretend to be his soulmate to fool his family.

"Please," He looked to her with pleading eyes. "Just for a weekend."

Marinette hadn't wanted a soulmate so she could make her own decisions.

And so she made one.

she was going to be Tim's fake soulmate.

But maybe she'd mess with him a bit first.

"I'll even pay you! Just tell me the price, money is absolutely no obstacle."

Marinette would've snorted if she weren't so flabbergasted.

"Like a prostitute?" She drawled, barely succeeding in hiding her smirk.

Tim spluttered, going pale. "No! N-not a prostitute!"

Marinette frowned mockingly. "But what if I am a prostitute?"

If possible, Tim seemed to go even paler.

"Oh! Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend you or--"

"Relax, Tim. I'm not a prostitute. Just messing with you. I'm in, weddings are no fun without a little chaos."

Maybe Plagg was rubbing off on her.

Tim looked like the giant weight of panic was lifted off his shoulders.

"Oh, oh wow I'm so bad at this."

Marinette nodded, biting her lip to suppress a grin.

"Well, soulmate, I guess we should get to know each other!" Marinette said cheerfully.

---

Marinette learned a lot about her new fake soulmate: he was a Wayne, he was good with computers, and he was 22 years old.

Among that and many other facts about Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne, her favorites were simple; for almost two years, Tim had stalked Batman and Robin, and he enjoyed causing chaos just as much as she herself did.

Both things made her want to grin. He'd seemed poised and sophisticated when she'd first met him a few hours ago. But now she knew he was just as crazy as her.

"So," Marinette said, stirring her second coffee. "Wanna help me kill Batman?"

Tim choked on his coffee, successfully spitting it all over the table. Marinette casually wiped it up with a napkin while he coughed.

"You--you want to kill Batman?"

Marinette nodded, still trying to wipe up his mess.

"Can I ask why? Or will I not like the answer?" Tim asked.

"Well I need to kill someone else, but dealing with Batsy coming after me for it sounds like a real hassle."

"Who're you planning on killing?"

"My friend Adrien. He dared to laugh at me after I spilled my coffee all over my desk."

Tim seemed to finally relax. He nodded like he completely understood the conversation--he did understand, he'd almost killed Jason for stealing his Keurig once.

"Well that makes sense. Sure I'll help you kill Batman, sounds fun."

Marinette grinned.

And the real piece of trust fell into place.

The two sat in companionable silence, simply enjoying each other's company as they sipped their coffee.

When Marinette finally looked down at her phone it was well past a reasonable break time.

Marinette sighed. She'd been having so much fun with Tim. It wasn't everyday she met someone who loved scheming as much as she did.

She was about to say goodbye but, as if on cue, Adrien stumbled through the door, looking around for something--probably her.

When he finally saw her, his eyes lit up and he hurried over.

"Mari! I've been looking for you everywhere!" He managed to pull her halfway out of her seat before noticing Tim.

"Uh...hello? Tim said, blinking rapidly.

Adrien dropped Marinette back into the seat and plopped down next to her.

"Oh my god! You're a boy!" He exclaimed, leaning over the table to poke at Tim's cheeks.

Tim's eyebrows furrowed.

Marinette sighed, thoroughly exasperated. She set her head down in her hand and rubbed her temples.

Adrien got like this sometimes. He always seemed surprised when Marinette met someone. Even if it was in no way romantic.

"I..am?" It sounded more like a question than a fact.

"Yes! Mari met a boy!" Adrien was jumping up and down in his seat now, grinning like a mad man.

"Kwami, Adrien. It's not that big of a deal." Marinette groaned.

Adrien smacked her arm playfully before turning back to Tim.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Tim, and you're Adrien right?"

Adrien nodded excitedly, looking all too pleased that Tim knew his name.

"Yes!" Adrien grinned and turned to Marinette. "Bugaboo, you talk about me?" He teased.

Marinette lightly shoved his shoulder.

Yim smiled at the two, he could tell they were close. If he didn't know better, he would have thought them soulmates. But Adrien had a spiraling blue soulmark crawling up his arm.

"Well in the few hours we've known each other, yes." Tim took a sip of his coffee.

Adrien blinked, tilting his head to the side.

"Few hours? That's...new."

Tim looked a little confused but before he could say anything, Marinette cut in.

"What did you need, Adrien? Is everything okay?"

Adrien's grin turned tired.

"So Catherine's back. Claims to want her job again."

Marinette groaned.

Catherine was her assistant up until two weeks ago, when she quit because Marinette refused to give her certain benefits.

"Fine, fine." Marinette waved her hand around. "I'll take care of it." She shoved Adrien out of the booth and stood up.

"I have to go, Tim, talk later?"

Time nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

And if Marinette's smile turned disappointed as she turned away, that was her business.

---

ah yes, a Karen, the staple of maribat literature

--Lemon