Soulmate For Hire Chapter 1
Chapter One: Houston, I Have So Many Problems
Timothy Drake Wayne did not have a soulmate.
It had been that way since the moment he was born. It didn’t change when he turned 12, like all others did. It didn’t change when he was adopted and took on a new name.
Because he didn’t have a soulmate.
But he wanted one. He so, so wanted a soulmate.
Someone to love him unconditionally, to smile and laugh with him, to kiss him and hug him and care about him.
So why, out of all people, did he not have a soulmate?
Tim felt broken without one.
Soulmates were supposed to be your other half, so was he always to be broken and empty without one?
Marinette Dupain-Cheng did not have a soulmate.
It had been that way since the moment she was born. It didn’t change when she turned 12, like all others did. It didn’t change when she became Ladybug and took on a new identity.
Because she didn’t have a soulmate.
And she didn’t want one. She didn’t need one.
She didn’t need someone to think they owned her, to tell her what to do, to force her into things.
Which was why Marinette was so happy without one.
She felt alive and full, even without one.
Soulmates were supposed to be your other half, but Marinette didn’t believe that. She was perfectly fine without one.
But isn’t that always how it starts?
Most romantic comedies start with a little white lie that doesn’t hurt anyone, but then eventually grows too big to avoid.
And then, somehow, two people fall in love.
Except Tim–who didn’t have anyone to fall in love with.
And his lie, oh his lie was the most batshit crazy lie he had ever told.
But could you really blame him?
Some would agree that yes, he was to blame for this whole mess. But others would say that his heart was in the right place and all that.
Well it might have been, if that “right place” was his chest, where hearts are typically held.
And if you were being technical, then technically this whole thing was Dick’s fault.
It was Dick who proposed to Kori.
It was Dick who wanted a huge ceremony.
And it was Dick who asked everyone to bring their soulmates.
But despite all Dick’s flaws, Jason did bring up Tim’s soulmate.
You see, all of Tim’s brothers had soulmates.
Cass and Steph had each other.
But who did Tim have? No one.
So maybe he said it because he was jealous, or maybe because Jason was being a jerk.
But what really mattered was what he said.
And what he said was so, so dumb.
“I guess I’ll bring my soulmate too then?”
The second it came out of his mouth, the excited chattering stopped.
Jason was the first to respond.
“What?” He laughed don’t.
Tim almost winced. Why, why, why did he say that?
His whole family knew he didn’t have a soulmate, that’s what Jasin had been teasing him about, and yet…yet he said that.
Time to back himself out of the corner he shoved himself into.
“Yeah, my soulmate. I’ll bring her.”
Tim didn’t even know if his soulmate was a girl. He was bisexual–which meant they could be female or male.
“Tim,” Dick started gently. “I thought you didn’t have a soulmate?”
Tim hated the pity is Dick’s voice.
Sure, he didn’t have a soulmate, but it’s not like they needed to be such dicks about it–acting like he was going crazy from not having one.
“Well I found her. I just didn’t want to tell you guys yet.”
Why was he digging himself deeper into this grave?
It wasn’t like he could get out of the lie now. Too many lies adding up–even if he had only said a few sentences.
Jason smirked. “You’re making this up, aren’t you Timmy?”
“Tt, M.” Damian commented, crossing his arms.
“Yeah she’s probably his pillow or–"
“Yeah, her name’s M. And you guys can learn the rest when you meet at Dick’s wedding.” He turned to Dick. “Assuming I can bring her, she is my soulmate after all, and I do have that plus one”
He tried to make his voice sound less shaky, less nervous. He succeeded only a little bit.
But Dick visibly brightened at his words.
“Yes! Please bring her! Sorry, I just figured you’d bring Conner” Dick captured Tim in a tight hug and ruffled his hair.
Over his older brother’s shoulder, Tim could see both Damian and Jason looking thoroughly unimpressed.
Once he was released, Tim gave a quick nod–unable to speak in his growing panic–and swiftly left the room.
He needed to figure out how to explain his lies.
Marinette lived in Gotham City, New Jersey.
A.K.A, the most crime ridden place on Earth.
She owned her own fashion company, Miraculous, and had her own secret identity as MDC. She was successful and happy.
And pretty exhausted at the moment.
As it turns out, staying up until five am to finish a commission had been one of her worst ideas.
Marinette sat in her office hunched over her desk and groaning. Having spilled her precious coffee a moment prior, she was drenched and so very not awake.
And it definitely didn’t help that her best friend, Adrien Agreste, sat in front of her laughing.
Marinette was going to commit mass murder.
She could deal with the Bat if it meant ending Adrien’s horrible, awful, terrible laughter.
In fact, Marinette was pretty sure she could take out the Bat too.
All he did was put on his furry suit and punch people–she could definitely get rid of him with a few well placed piles of fruit.
“Adrien god damn Agreste. If you don’t stop laughing I’m going to murder you and no one will find the body.” Marinette grumbled, the sound muffled by her arms.
Like a fool, Adrien ignored her threat.
“Alright, Bugaboo, but you need to take a break. Change and get some coffee from that shop you like.”
“Nooo,” Marinette moaned.
Adrien sighed and stood up. Marinette thought he was going to leave, but instead he hauled her up out of her chair and shoved her towards the little room she made for extra clothes and a small bed.
“You did that already, Mar. I believe it was our last year of high school.”
Marinette stuck her tongue out at the blonde before going to rummage through her clothes.
“I’ll call someone to clean this up. You’re lucky you didn’t get any coffee on your sketchbook.”
Marinette stripped–her and Adrien knew each other well enough that it didn’t matter what the other saw–and pulled on a new, non coffee soaked shirt.
“Aw, I love that sweater!”
Marinette looked down at her apparently Red Robin themed sweater. It looked just like the vigilante’s suit except made of fuzzy cotton.
“Hmm, when did I make this?” Seriously, she didn’t remember.
“First week in the awful city.”
“It’s not awful, it just has…personality.”
Adrien shrugged and tossed Marinette her sketchbook. She snatched it out of the air and shoved it in her bag.
“Sure, ‘personality’.” Adrien said, Smirking as he shoved her out the door.
Marinette could already feel the slight adrenaline rush from almost ruining her sketchbook wear off.
She trudged to Bean Baby–her favorite coffee shop and almost fell into the glass door.
Using doorknobs when tired to the point of passing out was not her specialty.
The barista–Amy–sighed tiredly, already knowing her order.
“One extra large to-go cup filled with espresso shots and a little bit of cream, coming up!” Amy grinned and gave her a thumbs up.
Marinette gave her a weak smile and sat down in a booth–ignoring the terrified glances other customers and workers were giving her.
“Did you just get my exact same order?” A voice came from the other side of Marinette’s booth.
The ravenette shot her head up off the table, eyes wide.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry, I’m so tired–I didn’t realize this was your car!”
Marinette blinked. “What? Are we not in a car?”
The man in front of her snorted before it turned into a full blown fit of laughter.
He was handsome, with bright blue eyes and onyx black hair.
He had sharp cheekbones and adorable dimples that made a Marinette want to draw him.
Was she staring? He was pretty. She liked staring.
“I’m Tim.” The man said once his laughter died down.
Marinette smiled brightly and reached over the table to shake his hand.
His grip was firm and calloused, like he used them a lot. It was weird, his face seemed too soft to be a construction worker or something like it, but his hands made it seem like he made a living using them.
Marinette was too tired to think on it anymore.
“M!” Amy called out, raising her drink high in the air.
Tim stared at Marinette, eyes wide and mouth gaping.
Marinette gave him a weird look before walking over to get her coffee.
Just smelling it made her feel like she was floating.
“M?” Tim asked once she sat back down.
Marinette giggled a little.
“It’s Marinette, actually. I just use M because I’m kind of a…recognizable person.” She said, laughing awkwardly.
Tim had a weird gleam in his eye–the same kind Adrien claimed Marinette had when she was thinking of a plan.
His blue eyes studied her in a way that made Marinette flush. She wasn’t used to anyone looking at her in a way that wasn’t creepy or hateful.
And it wasn’t like she had a soulmate to look at her that way.
And it wasn’t like she wanted one either.
The idea of soulmates was ridiculous.
One person meant for you? Someone that you had to be with? No one else?
Marinette learned long ago that she wanted to make her own choices. Do what she wanted.
Which was why she was so happy to find out she didn’t have a soulmate.
Marinette blinked, shocked slightly. Help? Why?
Tim nodded, looking slightly nervous.
“I–my brother’s wedding is next month.” He sighed, looking down at his clasped hands.
“All my other siblings have soulmates to bring. But I–I don’t have one.”
He…he didn’t have a soulmate?
Marinette had always thought that she was the only one without one. But Tim didn’t have one either?
“It’s not.” Marinette said, covering Tim’s hands with her own. “I don’t…I don’t have one either.”
“Twinsies?” Marinette squeaked out, smiling awkwardly.
Tim choked out a laugh. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“So what did you need my help with?” Marinette tried to act as normal as possible–she couldn’t stop glancing down at their touching hands.
Why was she so nervous talking to this stranger?
“Oh…um,” Tim started, biting his lip.
“Alright I’m just gonna say it: I need you to pretend to be my soulmate.”
