Chapter Text
“You'll become the twins’ temporary foster parent until we get one or a suitable parent adopts them”
These were the words that his superior Madame Jade came out of her mouth.
“This is absolutely absurd. I am a professor! not a babysitter. “Ratio sighed and massaged his temple.
He already has to deal with a handful of adults that act like children in his class, he does not need another set of troublemakers.
“It's just that… out of the people you could've tasked to do this, does it really have to be me?”
“Of course Professor Ratio, you're highly respected in our state university due to your discipline and morals that you set. Which is why you're the perfect person to teach these cuties some simple disciplines don't you think?” Jade smiled at him but not with warmth but rather a warning if Ratio continues to protest another word.
Ratio sighed internally in defeat. If Madame Jade really thinks highly of him to entrust these twins, then it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.
“... Alright, I'll accept it.”
“Oh? No more objections?” Jade added.
For a moment Ratio almost rolled his eyes at the remark. Very funny, he thought.
“There is none for all I'm concerned about.”
“Very well then! you'll be meeting them after your work hours as for the meantime, I'll hand you their documents. I'll see you later then“
Jade stands up leaving one last smile at Ratio as she walks out of his office leaving Ratio helpless at the situation that he got suddenly roped into.
“... What on earth did I do to get in this situation” Ratio couldn't help but sigh.
-
As the final minute clicks at his end of working hours, Ratio has already organized his belongings before he could clock out. He bid goodbye to his other faculty members as he heads to face the main event of his life.
Becoming a foster parent.
To be quite honest, this wasn't his first time handling children. Despite being perceived as strict by general, he was picked as a substitute teacher for lower grade levels. Perhaps this was the reason why Jade had entrusted this task to him. Just thinking about the responsibility had already made him like he was going to pass out from exhaustion.
Oh whatever, it's not like they're in his care forever. Ratio presumed.
As he continued to walk towards the exit, he could see a silhouette of a woman holding two small children. This must be the twins that he's gonna take care of, he guessed.
“Ah, what a pleasant evening Professor Ratio. Right on time indeed.”
Ratio greeted Jade back and looked down to take a look at the twins, a boy and a girl.
In one glance, they seem identical with the same set of yellow eye color and ash gray hair but as he observed further the girl on the right looked curious and had been staring at him back for god knows how long. The boy on the left looked shy and was hiding behind Jade but remained curious.
“These little cuties are Stelle and Caelus. Why don't you greet your new foster parent hm?” Jade gently caressed both of their heads.
The little girl on the right came up to him first.
“Good evening, Mister…uh….” the little girl trailed off from her thoughts.
“Mr. Ratio” he answered.
“Mister Ratio! I'm Stelle and I am 6 years old, and this is my twin brother Caelus.”
She points to the direction where Caelus is and signals him to do the same thing, making her brother scramble his feet and run up to her side but still maintaining caution.
“Um… Uh…Hello Mister Ratio, I am Caelus and I hope you take care of us nicely.” the little boy averted his eyes due to nervousness.
Now Ratio felt a bit awkward with how realizing that his presence is quite intimidating towards the pair. He almost felt bad for what his students had to face everyday whenever they talked to him personally. Almost.
“Hello and Good evening to you two, I hope you treat me nicely and cooperate with me in the meantime as your foster parent.” On one hand, he realizes that it's a bit ridiculous to greet them so formally, they're children not coworkers! However, the twins didn't seem to care about it so it was fine.
“Ah! it seems you three are getting along so easily. How wonderful! Well then, it's getting a bit late for us to be outside.” Jade gently nudges the twins towards Ratio.
“Remember, be good alright? And be obedient to what they say, got it?” The twins looked at each other before nodding, this made Jade hummed with delight.
And with that, Jade waved goodbye as she got inside her car and drove off leaving the three alone. A beat of silence had passed before Ratio broke the silence.
“Ahem, it seems we need to get home then. Follow me please” He reached out his hand signaling the twins to hold it to which the twins comply.
As they were walking to the parking lot, none of the twins had something to say which really made him feel uneasy internally. What was he supposed to talk about?? It's obvious that he can't start a conversation with a literal 6-year-old about Mathematical Theories.
This is going to be harder than I thought it would be, he thought.
After a long 5 minutes of silence, Ratio helped the twins get inside his car and carefully fastened them with seatbelts before heading home.
When they arrived home Ratio sat them on the table first.
“You must be hungry from that long trip, let me get you something before you settle down”
“Um… No thank you Mister Ratio, we already ate before we left” Caelus answered right away.
“Alright, but if you're feeling hungry just tell me right away. Now go brush your teeth first” Ratio guided them towards the bathroom to which the twins’ surprise it was really pristine and wide.
“Woah, this looks like the ones we play in the dollhouse Caelus!” Stelle couldn't contain her excitement while Caelus was in pure awe.
Ratio couldn't help but let out a quick ‘heh’ out of pride. He did put a lot of work on his bathroom design.
“Okay okay, that's enough you two it's getting late now and that's bad for your health to sleep late” Ratio placed down the stepping stool for the twins to stand on.
“But we don't have school tomorrow” one of them protested
“That doesn't excuse anything, now go brush your teeth” Ratio waited for the twins as they diligently finished their task.
After a long preparation he had finally set the twins on the bed in his guest room. He felt bad at the lack of decorations that suited their taste so he'll take note of that in the future.
As he tucks them to bed, he saw Stelle staring as she wanted to say something.
“Mister Ratio, what were you doing at the big school at night? Do you study a lot there?” Stelle wondered.
“Not really, I'm a Professor actually.” He sat down beside them at the edge of their bed.
“Oh! Then you teach big kids at the big school?” Stelle added.
Big kids at the big school? Seems like there's nothing different. Ratio chuckled at that comment.
“Yes Stelle, I do teach big kids at the big school.”
“What do you teach the big kids Mister Ratio?” Caelus immediately chimed in.
Ratio thought deeply. “Well… I teach big mathematics”
“What kind of big mathematics?” Caelus added.
“The difficult ones”
“How about-”
“Okay that's enough questions for today, Good night.” Before Stelle could ask another question Ratio turned the light off making the twins fill the dimly lit room with giggles.
Ratio gently closed the door behind ignoring the quiet giggling. Surely, they will wear out and sleep it off later. He thought to himself as he made it to the small storage room.
“I think I remembered my old duck toys and decorations around here somewhere in this box.” He started rummaging his old belongings for the twins to play something tomorrow. He's quite relieved that he took his childhood toys and decorations as he never let go of the nostalgic memories.
While searching, a picture fell off from an old notebook from his college days. Ratio gently picked it up and as he flipped the picture, a pang from his heart appeared.
Ah.
Now he remembered why he hid this photo buried deep into the boxes.
It was an old photo of him and Aventurine back in their college years.
He really wanted to keep it but the more he looked at it, the more pain he felt in his chest.
“Ugh…why am I like this, he's not dead or something so what's the deal with me?”
He's right, Aventurine isn't dead except he came back after years of separation and acted like nothing happened between them. Ratio doesn't know if either of these choices would make him feel better.
“Enough stressing myself out. I think I need to sleep this off.”
As Ratio had sorted out the toys, he plopped himself into his bed letting the tiredness catch up to him as he slowly drifted to sleep waiting for tomorrow to arrive.
It doesn't matter anymore anyhow; he had better things to take care of.