Chapter Text
When Billy turned twelve it finally appeared on his left arm. A scrawl of a signature that made him blush when he realized the first name wasn't Pearl, but Pete. Rose Whalen just hugged him and called him her little water baby angel again before taking him out to get his privacy cuff.
Thin, platinum, and plain was what he finally settled on. The jeweler remarked that it's better to start off simple, one could always add stones and engraved sentiments. Billy was too embarrassed to draw attention to it because of course the short baby-faced boy was gay. Or bi or whatever. Soulmates didn't have to be romantic or sexual, but they usually were and Billy didn't think his future soulmate would be okay with being a third wheel in case being a prodigy really worked out for him and he married an Estonian super model.
He put it out of his mind because he was way too young to care about soulmate nonsense when there was studying to be done. Quiz shows were hotter than ever and there was a lot of prize money and bragging rights on the line if he could use his nerd powers for good.
The universe must have been laughing because when Billy showed up at his audition the former host was replaced by a new hotshot.
Pete White the charismatic host of Quizboys couldn't possibly be Billy's soulmate because that was just a cliché waiting to happen and besides there were a lot of Pete Whites in the world and the odds that this one was his were just...no, no he refused to calculate.
“Congrats, on passing the last audition, pally,” Pete extended his hand to shake Billy's. “You're officially a quizboy. Come back Monday for your first show.”
Billy shook his hand and ignored the warmth in his belly that bloomed at first contact.
Maybe this soulmate thing wouldn't be so bad after all.
But he was totally going to make White wait until he was older and well settled with a quiz show fortune before ever revealing his mark.
And Augustus from Whiz Kid summer camp was going to be so jealous!