Dead Empress Backwater the definition of insanity

Agree to disagree was the answer to that one, Eros supposed. He hadn't instigated the situation, but he'd still been present, still had possessed the agency of defending his then-unborn niece and nephew. His anger and pain over Archer's choices had taken priority instead, and looking back he felt it was clear that he never would have been able to have both. Putting the children first required that he sacrifice his need for justice for his own hurt.

Viorel went on with a counter-offer, but the more he heard of it, the harder it was for Eros to fight back a frown. He masked his disappointment by looking away, off into the forest, battling inside himself to reign in emotions. Because really, he still wanted to cry, badly. He wanted to give up and go back to the banishment ruling, to go hide somewhere and melt into his misery and mope about having no real control. That wasn't true though, and he knew it. Being grown meant refusing to let feelings like that win, no matter how strong they got. Especially when he was here making decisions for the rest of his pack, choices that could impact an untold number of wolves down the line.

"That's what you tried last year," he finally answered, immensely grateful that his voice came out steady. Did Viorel realize he was trying to sell the same plan to Eros, did he think he wouldn't notice because he was too young or dumb or- stop. He knew his father better than that, recognized his insecurities even if they tried to wear someone else's face as a mask. Viorel was offering visits this time. Still, Eros didn't feel that was enough to make a difference.

"Kateri heard that we were going to take her children from her and it shut her down completely. I don't think visits will soften that enough. I know that if we tell them that's the consequence, and they do the thing anyway, they shouldn't be surprised when we follow through but even if they accept it that still means for the litter that we're sending their mom away from them when they're still just kids. When they still really need her for all sorts of things, things they won't be able to get just through occasional visits."

No, he wasn't liking the idea of breaking up a family regardless of how said family came to be. Not when it had hurt him so deeply to lose his own mother, and he'd almost been fully grown when that had happened, a year older than what Viorel was proposing. He also had wanted to make a path to redemption possible for the parents. Archer had come back, after all. Was that really only accomplishable through a child's death? He shifted on his paws, clearly uncomfortable with the ground he was about to give.

"... what about a year?"

Viorel felt a flicker of annoyance that he could not hide when he was quick to respond, ’I didn’t offer visits.” Because he truly felt like that made a difference. What he had offered Kateri and Archer was to never see their children again, and to have their kids not even know that they had even existed. At least being able to drop in now and then felt like a big improvement, but if it wasn’t enough for Eros then so be it.

He let out another deep sigh, his resolve to continue having this conversation fading when he could see how much it meant to his son. ”Fine, a year. For the mothers, the fathers will need to leave immediately,” He wanted to leave now and be done talking about this but he added, ”The cubs can obviously choose to stay if that’s what they want on their first birthday.” He gave Eros a look that clearly asked, are we done here? He was exhausted suddenly in a way he had not felt in a long time. When was it last that he slept for longer than a short nap like increment? Maybe now would be the time.

It was growing more and more clear that Viorel was growing tired of talking with him. Was that how it had gone with Vayko and Clover too, or was it a problem with Eros? Was he doing this wrong, was the dynamic of father and son incompatible with co-leadership? So many insecurities were creeping in, as they often did when he felt that he was being too much for another wolf.

He met his dad's gaze briefly, could see that he wanted to leave. Eros keenly missed his mother then, missed everything from when he was a child. He'd had no idea how good things had been.

"Okay."

His forepaw scuffed at the ground, peach sights low and unfocused. It wasn't Viorel's fault and it wasn't his problem. It was Eros'.

"Thanks for talking."

He didn't have to wait and see if they were really done, confident his father would take the chance and disappear, so he turned his own back and left at a trot that would turn into a sprint once there was distance between them.