🍁𝚖𝚊𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚢𝚛𝚞𝚙🍁

Marinette moves to Gotham to work in Wayne Enterprises' Design Department, where an unexpected request from Tim Drake changes everything

Parings: Tim Drake x Marinette Dupain-Cheng

TW: two idiots in love but one idiot doesn’t know until the first one has enough.

Gotham had never been part of Marinette Dupain-Cheng's plan.

Growing up in Paris, she had always imagined building her own fashion house one day, earning recognition through hard work rather than connections. She loved her parents and their bakery, but she knew that if she wanted to become a designer people remembered, she had to leave the city where everyone already knew her name.

When Wayne Enterprises announced openings in its Design Department for designers from around the world, Marinette had applied on a whim. She never expected to receive an offer.

Three months later, she found herself standing in the lobby of Wayne Tower with a portfolio tucked under one arm and a suitcase waiting in the back of a taxi.

It was terrifying.

It was exciting.

Most importantly, it was hers.

The Design Department quickly became a second home. The atmosphere was nothing like the intimidating corporate environment she'd imagined. Instead, she found herself surrounded by talented artists, pattern makers, textile specialists, and engineers who collaborated to create everything from high-end fashion collections to innovative wearable technology.

Marinette fit in almost immediately.

She quickly became friends with several of the engineers, who were fascinated by the way she could look at a complicated piece of technology and immediately start sketching ways to seamlessly incorporate it into clothing. In return, they happily explained the mechanics behind their inventions, often inviting her down to their workshops whenever they were testing a new prototype.

Lunches became a daily tradition.

Some days they debated the practicality of self-heating winter coats.

Other days they argued over whether hidden pockets or built-in communication devices were the superior design feature.

Marinette insisted both could exist.

The engineers declared she was a genius.

Her coworkers admired her creativity, her endless optimism, and the homemade pastries she frequently brought from her apartment, using recipes passed down from her parents' bakery in Paris.

It wasn't long before everyone in the department knew her by name.

Including Tim Drake.

Unlike the others, Tim rarely stayed in one place for long. As CEO of Wayne Enterprises, he was constantly moving between meetings, departments, and boardrooms. Yet somehow, he always seemed to find an excuse to wander through the Design Department.

At first, Marinette assumed he was simply checking on projects.

Then he started stopping by her desk.

Sometimes it was to ask her opinion on a new product concept.

Sometimes it was to deliver coffee because he'd "accidentally ordered too much."

Sometimes he claimed he was looking for one of the engineers, only to end up talking with Marinette for twenty minutes instead.

Eventually, her co-workers caught on.

"He likes you," one of them whispered after Tim left.

Marinette laughed. "No, he doesn't."

Another co-worker smirked. "The CEO has walked through our department five times today."

"Coincidence."

"He brought you coffee."

"He was being nice."

"He remembered your order."

"...He's observant."

The designers exchanged knowing glances but wisely kept their opinions to themselves.

None of them expected Tim's next visit to begin with the words:

—————🍁 —————

"I have an idea."

Marinette didn't even glance up from the sketch she was refining. "Absolutely not."

Across the table, Tim looked deeply offended. "You don't even know what I'm going to ask."

"I do."

"You don't."

"You're about to ask me for a favor that somehow becomes my problem."

Tim pointed at her. "See? You know me."

She sighed, setting her pencil down.

"Fine. What is it?"

Tim leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"I need a fake girlfriend."

Marinette blinked.

"...Excuse me?"

"For one night."

"No, thank you."

"You haven't heard why."

"I don't think the reason is going to make that sentence any better."

"It will."

"It won't."

Tim dramatically placed a hand over his heart. "I'm wounded."

"You'll survive."

He grinned. "I have a Wayne Enterprises gala tomorrow. Every time I show up alone, Gotham's elite decides it's matchmaking season."

"And?"

"And I've already been introduced to six different daughters this month."

Marinette tried—and failed—not to laugh. "Six?"

"Bruce thinks it's funny."

"I doubt that."

"Okay, Dick thinks it's funny. Bruce just watches and encourages it."

"And you want me to pretend to date you?"

"Just for the gala."

She narrowed her eyes. "One night."

"I swear."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

It was not one night.

Not even close.

Three days later, Tim showed up at her apartment with coffee and pastries.

"You lied."

"I omitted future possibilities."

Marinette stared at him. "...That's worse."

"I have another favor."

"No."

"My family is having dinner."

"No."

"Dick won't stop asking where my mysterious girlfriend is."

"Still no."

"He already made matching Christmas stockings."

"...It's July."

"He plans ahead." He shrugged, “… Alfred’s cooking spaghetti?”

Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine."

Tim smiled victoriously. "I knew you'd say yes."

"I hate that you knew that."

Then came another excuse.

A charity auction.

A museum opening.

A company retreat.

A Wayne family movie night.

("You need a fake girlfriend for movie night?"

"Dick invited Kor’i."

"Okay?"

"Jason invited someone. I didn’t even know he could pull!”

"...Okay?"

"Steph and Cass are coming."

"And?"

Tim looked genuinely distressed. "I'll be the only single one."

Marinette laughed. "That's your emergency?"

"It's emotionally devastating."

"No, it's not."

"It could be."

She laughed harder.

"You're ridiculous."

"So...?"

"...Fine.")

By the fifth fake date, everyone knew.

Everyone except Tim.

Dick leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Tim hand Marinette a mug exactly the way she liked it.

"Hey, Marinette?"

"Hm?"

"How long are you two planning to keep ‘pretending’?"

She blinked.

"Whatever do you mean? We are pretending."

Dick looked at Tim.

Tim, who was currently running on fumes, had unconsciously wrapped Marinette in one of his oversized hoodies because she'd mentioned being cold twenty minutes earlier.

Dick looked back at her.

"...Sure."

Tim never noticed the little things that he had began to do with Marinette.

Not because he wasn't observant.

Because they felt natural.

He reached for her hand crossing busy streets.

He texted her every morning.

He remembered every deadline she had.

He brought snacks whenever she worked late.

He saved her favorite seat in the Manor.

He stopped asking before showing up at her apartment.

He just...showed up.

Because she was Marinette.

And that's what they did.

At least, that's what Tim thought.

Eight months after the fake dating began, Tim appeared at her apartment carrying two movie tickets.

Marinette folded her arms.

"No."

He frowned.

"I haven't asked yet."

"You don't have to."

"I think I do."

"You've run out of excuses."

"I haven't."

"Really?"

"Really."

She raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."

Tim opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

"...Huh."

She smirked. "Exactly."

He tried again. "I...thought..."

"Thought what?"

"I wanted to see the movie."

"You do."

"...With you."

She waited.

Tim blinked. "...Oh."

Marinette laughed. "Oh?"

"I..." His eyes widened as realization slowly settled in. "I've been asking you to come because..."

She nodded. "Because?"

"I wanted you there."

"Yes."

"...Not because I needed a fake girlfriend."

"No."

Tim looked horrified. "Oh my God."

"What?"

"I've accidentally been taking you on dates."

"For months."

"I've been flirting."

"You've been flirting, yes."

"I bought you flowers."

"You did."

"I made Bruce reschedule meetings because you were free that day."

"You did that too."

"I learned how to braid your hair."

"You watched three tutorials."

Tim covered his face with both hands. "I am an idiot."

Marinette couldn't stop smiling. “A little."

"A huge idiot."

"The biggest."

He groaned. "You knew?"

"I figured it out around month three."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I wanted to see how long it'd take."

"You let me embarrass myself for five months?"

She laughed. "It was kind of adorable."

Tim lowered his hands. "...Really?"

"Really."

"So..."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I should ask properly."

"I think you should."

Tim took a deep breath. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng..."

She smiled.

"Would you stop pretending to be my girlfriend..." He reached for her hand. "And start being my actual one?"

She squeezed his fingers.

"I thought you'd never ask."

She kissed him before he could say another word.

When they pulled away, Tim smiled so brightly it looked like the sun had decided to settle on his face.

"So..."

"So?"

"Can I still use the movie tickets?"

Marinette laughed. "Only if it's a real date."

Tim intertwined their fingers. "I was hoping you'd say that."

For the first time in months, Tim Drake didn't have to invent another excuse to spend time with her.

He finally had the only one he needed. "Because I like you."

Marinette smiled. "I know."

"And?"

"And I like you too."

Tim laughed. "That probably would've been useful information six months ago."

She bumped his shoulder playfully.

"But then I would've missed watching the World's Greatest Detective fail to realize he was already in love."

"I am never living this down, am I?"

"Not a chance."

Tim sighed dramatically.

"Worth it."

Because in the end, every fake date had led him exactly where he wanted to be—even if it took him far too long to realize it.

Thanks for reading!