Sunbeam Lair eventually, the world stood in our way

When she tries to remove the blame from her, he can’t help but snort again in disbelief. His paws clench, digging his nails into the dirt and eventually he propels himself to stand. He doesn’t move any closer but he does not relax, feeling his own fur bristle in irritation.

“And you don’t see the problem with that,” he says but does not present it as a question. Her scheme to use his position over the children falls off his shoulders, unwilling to take any further manipulation. She’d always been that way, from what he’s seen in getting to know her, but he’d kept himself satisfied being her second. “You knew I believed they were mine this whole time. You didn’t say one word. Not even when you invited some other guy you fucked to their birth.”

Ukko pauses, for only a moment, as if he might wait for her reaction but he does not give her a chance yet. “What did you think would happen? Do you think I’m that stupid?” He falls silent then, darkened orange eyes staring at her. A smirk forms on his features, but his eyes squint, feeling a pain behind them. He has to give her credit, at least, if only because she can confirm he isn’t anything like his father. Instead, he’s everything his father expected out of him.