Chapter Text
Wednesdays are always rough and sluggish to get through and today would be no exception. Ballister had left for work about an hour ago so Ambrosius was left alone with a 13 year old Nimona.
She was running a bit warm and was coughing so both Ballister and Ambrosius opted for her to stay at home.
This obviously didn't affect her as she would take any chance she could to skip school. Although she was happy to stay home and not be pestered by dumb school work…there was something bothering her.
________________________________
Ambrosius could be heard coughing before he sighed and placed his head in his hands noticeably fatigued.
'Are you sick as well? Nimona asked.
'I don't have time to be sick.' He replied nonchalantly without looking to face her.
' You should rest a bit! ’ Nimona piped up as she failed to hide the worry and concern in her tone.
Ambrosius just sighed at her innocent and worried tone.This made her slightly irritated.Why wouldn't he just allow himself to take a break?He deserves it, she thought to herself.
'If I'm sick, I'll just have to put it on pause.' Ambrosius proceeded to make his way to the medicine cabinet and take some Panadol.
'Go, lie down and relax, don't worry about me.' he says as he begins to work on the stitches of his recent customer's outfit.Carefully and gracefully weaving through the fabrics despite his fatigue.
Nimona hesitantly goes to her room and flops onto the mattress grabbing her stuffed shark. Taking out her phone from where she left it in the pillow case, she began to scroll through her YouTube feed.
This mostly consisted of shark related content like documentaries and memes. There were also tutorials on how to craft a smoke bomb at home as well as other DIY prank tools, she would have to save that video to watch later.
Now she was just trying to shake off the discomfort she felt from seeing one of her fathers unwell. This wasn't the first time she's experienced this.
A month ago her Papa had caught a cold and was out of commission for a week. Nimona looked up to her Papa and saw him as invincible.
Seeing him coughing in a weak and vulnerable state scared her. As selfish or childish as it may have sounded, she wanted to be looked after and protected.
What would happen if he wasn't there to do so. The situation was daunting. She had curled up and cried on Ballister's chest repeating the words ; 'I don't like this, I don't like this, make it stop.'
Ballister and Ambrosius were able to calm her down and eventually Ballister got better. Now her Dad was ill and she didn't feel any different than the last time one of them got sick. Maybe he didn't want to appear to be worn down by the sickness.
He didn't want to stress her out further while she was dealing with her own unwell state but what would be worse, a sick child or a sick parent?
Although Nimona often bickered and argued with Ambrosius the most, she still cared deeply for him .
Regardless if she outwardly showed it or not it was a known fact he was still her parent and someone who genuinely wanted the best for her.Nimona has possibly even come to a conclusion that they argue so much because they're so alike.
Both are energetic and like to be social as well as try out new things, dragging Ballister along with them. The two share a temper and both have equal potential to become a hot head in an instant. Nimona and Ambrosius were also equally as dramatic according to Ballister.
Her Dad is always the one to take her side in an argument even against her Papa at times and defend her, even if he didn't defend her actions she knew he would always protect her as a person.
He would never support almost any bad behaviour Nimona did, he only ever wants to protect his child.
Nimona wasn't ignorant, her dad had his own issues and hurdles and so does she, another thing they had in common. Ambrosius struggled to regulate his emotions at times and would occasionally have outbursts which eventually died down with guilty apologies ensuing afterwards.
Over the time both he and Ballister have raised Nimona he has grown more emotionally mature. He is aware and vocal about it, telling her how he is not a perfect parent now but still an extremely better one compared to when he first started out.
She knows he still feels guilty about how he first reacted to her adoption.
Ballister came home with a baby and immediately dropped the fact he adopted a child, without consulting in him first.She knew how he was reluctant at the beginning and didn't want to carry through with raising her.
Ambrosius yelled and asked why Ballister would do such a thing,shocked that he didn't have a saying in the action.Honestly she couldn't blame him.Imagine never having the topic of children never pop up and then suddenly you have a child in your life which you hadn't even considered before.
As much as she loved her Papa and admired him it was strange to her that a logical and calculated man like him wouldn't discuss and ask what his husband wanted in such a drastic and significant decision which would ultimately change their lives.
Ambrosius was just scared and Nimona knew that. Ambrosius and Ballister didn't have what one would call the ‘standard childhood’ growing up. Both were bound to at least somewhat stress or carry anxiety about bringing up a child.
Ballister's mother had passed away when he was around 7 and his father later indulged himself in drugs,alcohol and gambling to numb the grievance of the loss.
Ballister was a child raising a child.He grew up faster as a result in a struggle for survival. Doing odd jobs under aged, rationing food and other supplies were just things he had to do to live.It was tough but necessary work for his childhood
His father inevitably was deemed unfit to care for him and Ballister was put into the foster care system. It was a shitty system but a huge upgrade to what he endured in the time he spent in his father's 'care'.
He must have been somewhat relieved of the burdens his father had placed on him. That was enough for him then.
Ambrosius was adopted from infancy and grew up with his adoptive parents,in a way. Growing up he already had adult siblings with their own lives.
They didn't live nearby, both living in separate countries and rarely contacting him and his parents. Needless to say Ambrosius never had much of a relationship with them.
His adoptive parents loved him despite being strict. His Father and Papa rarely verbally showed their love but would show appreciation by giving little gifts and cutting up fruit.
Both of the men worked almost 24/7 which meant Ambrosius was with a nanny the majority of the time or left at a daycare.
Unfortunately his Father began suffering from seizures and passed away in the ambulance before reaching the hospital after experiencing one during work.
Ambrosius was 14 and in school when he received the news.
7 years later his Papa died in the hospital from heart failure. Ambrosius had a lonely childhood despite his seemingly comforting environment.
Nimona didn't know anything else about her parents upbringing other than that. That is what she knew of their childhoods. They didn't trauma dump her to make her feel guilty or more grateful for her circumstances.
She was the one who asked and sparked the conversation out of curiosity. Neither Ballister or Ambrosius would just dump that on her because their childhoods were not to be used as some cheap moment to make their daughter feel guilty for getting to be a kid and having a decent childhood herself.They just want the best for their sweet daughter ,Nimona,their precious nim.
In doing that it would make them no better than others who had lectured them on how lucky they were to even be in their given circumstances as children.
This would not be the environment Nimona was to be raised in. No child should feel like they don't deserve to be happy because of what their parents were denied as children.
_________________________________
Nimona ended up taking a nap before her Papa came home early in the afternoon. Ballister opened the door gently and stepped inside.
He quietly closed the door behind him and made his way up the stairs, the kitchen and living room being empty. The door of Nimona's room was ajar so Ballister peeked inside slightly opening the door wider.
A slight creak could be heard and that was enough for Nimona to know her dad had come home in her unconscious state. She immediately opened her eyes and turned to face her Papa.
'I see you're awake now,are you feeling any better?'
Nimona looked up to him and gave a small nod. Ballister approached her and placed the back of his hand on her forehead
'You're not as warm anymore so that's a good thing.' he strokes her hair and smiles. Ballister chuckled ,
'You just slept it off huh?'
Nimona loved moments like this.She felt safe knowing she would always have her Papa there to dote on her.
'Dad’s working on his clients orders.'
'As expected of him, wants to get things done sooner than later.' He chuckled.
'Like you're any different with your own workload.' Nimona responded half teasing.
Both her Papa and Dad hated putting things off to the last minute and would try to get things done well in a decent amount of time.
They also tried to encourage the same habit in Nimona but didn't allow her to overwork herself as they did, adult problems she supposed.
_________________________________________