Arrow Lake Now we got bad blood

She was surprised to hear him agree with her. She had expected an argument or possibly even some kind of reprimand for the way she had spoken to him, both of which she was prepared for; she was not, however, prepared for him to see the error in what he had done. Honestly, it caught her off guard a little, and she just stared at him for a few moments, a hint of suspicion in her expression. She also hadn't been aware of the extent of his feelings for Ketzia, which maybe softened her anger a fraction, not that she would admit it. Plus, it didn't really change why she was mad about the whole thing. Love or not, it was still one more thing demanding his attention. 

She could understand, probably more than most, how the way he had been raised had not really prepared him for any of this. But, she couldn't help but think about how growing up under her own cruel father hadn't hindered her parenting skills. It was quite the opposite, actually; she had always promised herself that she would do things differently. She wasn't lenient by any means, but she was always involved and was never afraid to show her children how much she loved them. Still, she could sympathize with Stigmata, especially since it seemed he really did feel guilty. She could probably forgive him with some time, provided he actually made an effort. 

Apologies typically meant little to her. Everyone always apologized, but it rarely ever went beyond words. So, her expression hardened at his words initially, and she was about to suggest that he prove his sincerity to her, but then his body language shifted, and she froze. Clearly, she hadn't quite understood just how much all of this meant to him. Had this been almost anyone else, she would have gladly accepted the submission, but that wasn't what she wanted from him; she cared about him even if she was beyond pissed about his bad decision, and all she wanted was for him to respect their bond and understand how important his role as a parent was. She had yet to say anything, since she had mostly been trying to process his reaction, but when he proposed that he step down from leading Diaspora, she quickly shook her head and took a few steps back. No. She shook her head again. No. I would never ask that of you. He knew her well; she had to admit. Just an apology wouldn't have fixed things. Diaspora and being its general was everything to him, and to hear him offer to sacrifice his position to repair things between them was...too much. She didn't think she could forgive herself if she let him do that. If he hadn't already raised his gaze to meet hers, she would chuff impatiently for him to do so. You're...my family now, she said, somewhat awkwardly. She didn't like having to talk about how she felt, and calling him family meant more than he probably even knew. But, I won't lie. It will take some time to completely trust you again. Unfortunately, she couldn't help how she felt, and she knew that, no matter how much she cared about the general, it would take a while for the doubt to go away. Just continue to be there for the children, and I'll eventually come around. Her gaze softened as she spoke. Sia flashed through her mind, then: she really hoped things wouldn't end up the way they had with her brother. Hopefully, Stigmata wouldn't make her regret this.