loins of gold

[rustedhon0r]

he had spotted him almost immediately. which wasn't particularly surprising or hard. he could find in him in any crowd. ambrosius had promised he'd stop by the market before heading home, and somehow had taken longer than expected, so now he was here. watching in from a far thinking very hard about vegetables. for a moment ballister stayed where he was, weaving through the crowd unnoticed as ambrosius studied a zucchini as if it contained ancient secrets, then an eggplant. then the zucchini again. saints above, he really was lost. a fond smile tugged at his lips as he slipped up behind him quietly, close enough to hear the dramatic sigh that followed. unbiased opinion. bal could barely contained his laugher as he slid an arm around ambrosius's waist from behind, pulling himself against his back before resting his chin lightly on his shoulder. “well, there's your first mistake” he spoke with a warm voice, words hinting with amusement. “you came to the market expecting unbiased opinions…you should know better" bal peeked around his shoulder to inspect the vegetables being held up. “mmmmm..the zucchini.” he answered immediately. “just because if you somehow lose a fight against a zucchini, i'm legally required to make fun of you for the rest of our lives." his hand squeezed gently at his waist. "which, for the record, is hopefully a very long time." his teasing grin softened before turning his attention towards the basket hanging from ambrosius's arm, confusion now across his face.

“...honey.” he questioned while tilting his face. "what exactly are we making?" tomatoes. potatoes. garlic.enough onions to feed half of elias. and now a zucchin? bal glanced up at him. "you said you were stopping for ingredients, not rescuing every vegetable that looked lonely."

[goldcnheart]

The moment Ballister's arms wrapped around his waist, Ambrosius relaxed. It happened so naturally he didn't even realize he was doing it anymore. The tension left his shoulders, the confusion over vegetables momentarily forgotten as he leaned back instinctively into the familiar warmth behind him. "There you are," he murmured, a smile already spreading across his face. For all the people gathered around the market, for all the noise and movement, Ambrosius would have known it was Ballister without turning around. Some things had simply become second nature.

His hand settled over Ballister's where it rested against his waist, thumb brushing absentmindedly across his knuckles. "I'll have you know I was conducting very important research." The defense was immediately undermined by the fact he was still holding both vegetables like they had personally betrayed him. At Ballister's answer, Ambrosius let out a laugh. "A vote for zucchini. Noted. I'll try not to be offended that you think I can be defeated by a gourd."

His eyes softened at the mention of the rest of their lives. The words were casual but they still landed somewhere warm in his chest. He turned his head enough to press a quick kiss against Ballister's temple before looking back at the basket. Then came the question. His brow furrowed. "...I don't know." For a moment he simply looked at the basket as though he, too, was seeing it for the first time. Then he glanced back at Ballister. "I had a plan when I arrived but at some point I got distracted by comparing tomato sizes."

A laugh escaped him before he finally surrendered, lowering the vegetables into the basket. "You caught me. I was rescuing them." His free arm slipped around Ballister's waist now, pulling him a little closer despite the crowded market. "I'm glad you came looking for me," he admitted softly. His smile turned warmer then, something quieter and more vulnerable than his earlier teasing. "Though I suspect you mostly came to prevent me from accidentally buying enough produce to feed an army."

[deweytduck]

hanging around markets was one of his favorite pastimes these days. there were usually tons of interesting people running around them, either asking weird questions or just interesting in general. he probably hung out at the market more than he cared to admit. and today he kind of wanted to bring back something for them to eat, maybe make something nice for everyone tonight even if he couldn't really be trusted to make dinner. he looked at the brightly colored vegetables in the stall and thought to himself for a minute.

dewey hated this so-called break that everyone wanted to take, even if he made his jokes and acted like he didn't care. everyone could probably guess that he cared more than he wanted to admit to everyone. he understood why everyone wanted a break, but they were built for adventure—or maybe he was built for adventure. since moving out of the manor, he'd been trying to find his place, trying to mend his heart, trying to fix all the damage that he caused. so maybe he needed to figure out how to blend with ordinary life a little better because there were adventures here, there were mysteries here.

he didn't know how to cook. he ate his vegetables, sure, but he didn't cook. he helped do little things in the kitchen, like spicing things and chopping vegetables and even that was kind of chaotic. "i'm totally unbiased, but i don't know that i'll be much help. i'm gonna have to steal one of my brother's cookbooks to make dinner." honestly, he probably shouldn't even try to cook. "maybe a stir fry with the zucchini? that sounds relatively easy." he wouldn't know.

[goldcnheart]

Ambrosius let out a soft laugh, immediately liking the younger man's honesty. "Then we're in the same boat," he admitted, holding up the zucchini like evidence. "I've been standing here for nearly ten minutes hoping one of these vegetables would tell me what it wanted to become."

His smile widened slightly as he glanced down at the basket hanging from his arm. It was full of ingredients that, individually, made perfect sense. Together? Less so. "A stir fry does sound relatively easy," he agreed thoughtfully. "Which probably means I should attempt it before I develop the confidence to try something more complicated."

His attention returned to the other, taking in the easy humor and the way he seemed to be studying the vegetables with the same uncertainty. "Stealing a sibling's cookbook sounds like a perfectly reasonable plan, honestly." The corner of his mouth twitched. "I suspect most of my success in the kitchen comes from following instructions written by people much smarter than me." Then his eyes drifted toward the other basket.

"What are you trying to make?" Ambrosius asked. "Or are you still in the wandering-around-the-market-hoping-inspiration-strikes phase? Because that's currently my strategy."

[skellingtonisms]

It was the time of the week when Jasper gathered groceries to plan meals for the upcoming days. The farmers' market had always been a pleasant experience. There was something quaint about it. It felt intimate knowing that people in town grew or baked the offerings that people bought. He was happy to aid the people in Elias in any way he could, especially if it meant shopping local.

Jasper had grown up in the lap of luxury. The Skellingtons had a personal chef who created the vast majority of meals. As a young boy who was left alone with the help, Jasper took it upon himself to learn. Some of his favorite memories were learning how to cook from the chefs. Baking had coming easier to him as it was a science, whereas cooking came from the heart. At times, it was hard for the skeleton to listen to what his heart was saying. Over the years, he had fine-tuned his cooking. It had become a love language when he began dating Donnie. He swore to this day that the only reason Donnie stayed the next morning after the first time they connected was because of his pumpkin pancakes. Now every weekend, he happily makes those for his little turtle.

As he rounded the vegetables, he noticed a familiar figure come into view. Ambrosius had been hired to guard the council. With all that was happening in the Underland and the unrest from Elias' citizens, the big three had decided that protection was needed for the council members. Just in case.

"Well, you could easily sauté both. There's also the option of making either crispy baked parmesan zucchini or eggplant parmesan. I suppose. It depends on what vegetation you prefer." Jasper replied simply. His eyes fell on the basket. "You have a tomato. You could make ratatouille."

[goldcnheart]

Ambrosius visibly brightened the moment he heard the familiar voice. The confusion he'd been directing toward the unfortunate eggplant immediately disappeared as he turned toward Jasper, relief washing over his features like he'd just been rescued from a particularly difficult battle.

"Jasper," he greeted warmly. "Thank goodness." His smile was bright as he greeted the counselor. "I was beginning to suspect these were more complicated than people let on." His smile widened slightly before his gaze dropped back toward the basket hanging from his arm. Jasper's suggestion earned a thoughtful hum as Ambrosius examined the ingredients he'd already collected. "Ratatouille..." he repeated slowly.

The name sounded familiar. But he wasn't sure where he'd heard it before. It definitely sounded complicated. "I'm not sure I'm equipped to cook something like that. I don't even know what it is." Truthfully, Ambrosius wasn't a terrible cook. He could follow instructions. He could prepare meals that were edible and occasionally even good. The problem was deciding what to make. His eyes drifted toward Jasper's basket. Predictably, it looked significantly more organized than his own.

"Please tell me you've already planned your meals for the week," he said hopefully. "Because at this point I'm considering abandoning my original mission and simply copying whatever you've decided."

[goldcnheart]

♛ ¦ 𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕣 ༺ for everyone

Ambrosius had been standing in front of the vegetable stand for nearly ten minutes. Not because anything was wrong. Not because he couldn't make a decision. But because somehow choosing what to make for dinner felt significantly more complicated than facing down a dragon. The market bustled around him, vendors calling out prices and children weaving between stalls while the scent of fresh bread drifted from somewhere nearby. Ambrosius barely noticed any of it. Instead, he stood with a basket hooked over one arm and a zucchini in one hand, studying it like it held the secrets of the universe.

"Right," he muttered to himself. "But what does one actually do with a zucchini?" The vegetable, unfortunately, offered no guidance. A tomato sat in his basket. Alongside it was garlic, potatoes, carrots, and what might've been enough onions to feed a small army.

In hindsight, he may have started shopping before deciding what he was actually cooking. With a thoughtful hum, Ambrosius set the zucchini down only to immediately pick up an eggplant. His brow furrowed. The truth was, he enjoyed little things like this. Normal things. There was something comforting about standing in a market deciding what to make for dinner. No battles to fight. No expectations to live up to. Just an ordinary afternoon and the possibility of a good meal.

Unfortunately, ordinary life came with its own challenges. Like eggplants. Ambrosius sighed dramatically before looking toward the nearest person. "Alright, I need an unbiased opinion." He lifted both vegetables. "Which one is easier to accidentally turn into dinner? And please answer as though my previous cooking experience consists primarily of not setting things on fire." His smile widened slightly. "A skill I'm very proud of, for the record."

[waltrp]

Ambrosius Goldenloin ✦ Ambrosius ✦ Daniel Henney ✦ Nimona

KILL THE CHAOS, FIND THE BALANCE

CURRENT AGE: forty-five

SPECIES: human

OCCUPATION: knight

AVAILABILITY: open

AROUND WE GO, AMBROSIUS GOLDENLION

Ambrosius Goldenloin was raised to be untouchable. Born into legacy, polished by expectation, and sculpted into the Kingdom’s golden son, he grew up beneath banners that bore his family crest and statues that immortalized his lineage. From childhood, he was told who he was meant to be brave, loyal, flawless. The perfect knight. The future of the Institute. A living continuation of a myth built centuries before him. He believed it. Or at least, he tried to. Ambrosius trained beside Ballister Boldheart, the first commoner admitted into the Institute, and somewhere between sparring matches and late-night strategy debates, admiration turned into something softer. Something dangerous. But duty always came first. The Institute came first. The Kingdom came first. So when the Queen was assassinated and Ballister was framed, Ambrosius did what he had been trained to do: he chose the system. He raised his sword against the person he loved. It is a moment that still haunts him… the hesitation, the fracture in Ballister’s eyes, the awful certainty that loyalty to tradition had cost him something irreplaceable. Ambrosius had been taught that the Institute was justice incarnate. Those monsters lurked beyond the walls. That doubt was a weakness. But doubt saved him. As the truth unraveled, Nimona's existence exposed the rot at the center of their history. Ambrosius was forced to confront the weight of his inheritance. The Director’s lies. The manufactured legend of the dragon. The centuries of fear used to justify cruelty. He chose differently the second time. Ambrosius turned his blade against corruption. He stood beside Ballister, not above him. And when the truth shattered the old order, he allowed the golden image of himself to crack with it. Leaving the Kingdom was not an act of cowardice. It was an act of growth.  In Elias, Ambrosius found a way to redefine what it means to be a knight. Here, he serves in the Guard, not as a symbol of unbroken tradition, but as a protector of living people. The armor is lighter, less ceremonial. The hierarchy is less rigid. He walks the streets, speaks with shopkeepers, kneels to reassure frightened children. He listens more than he commands. Ambrosius still stands tall, still gleams in the sun, still carries himself with that effortless grace. But the shine is no longer about perfection. It is about accountability. He knows what blind loyalty can cost. He is determined never to repeat it. At home, he and Ballister move more carefully around each other.. not out of distance, but out of reverence for what they almost lost. Their love is quieter now, steadier. Earned through fire. Nimona barrels through their apartment in various shades of pink chaos, and Ambrosius pretends to scold her while secretly keeping a stash of her favorite snacks hidden in the pantry. He remains a knight. But now, the title means something different. Ambrosius Goldenloin fights not for myth, not for marble statues, not for legacy. He fights for the living.For second chances. For a world where no child grows up believing they must be perfect to be worthy and no shapeshifter is ever called a monster again.

CONNECTIONS LOADING...

nimona, ballister boldheart, aladdin ahmad, hercules zervos, eric seara.

[fitzbeloveds]

Ballister Boldheart and Ambrosius Goldenloin in NIMONA (2023)