[His brows furrow at that, as if he'd offered the wrong answer but couldn't fathom another. It's not like he'd expected this conversation to easily reassure her- he's self-aware enough to recognize that he's in a bad state to be comforting anyone. Still, isn't it... good... to accept and appreciate what he has? He wants to take what he can get now because it won't be long before he has nothing. Before he is nothing. He's... not sure.]

What's the alternative? [He's hesitant, but has to ask; he's worried that he's missed something critical.] I'd rather have some than none, you know? Love and family, it's... never gonna be perfect.

[What they have is imperfect sometimes, but he's happy, and he wants it. The people he loves make him feel good more often than they don't. Plus it's not like he's some paragon of perfect virtue. He's hurt plenty of them before, likely in ways he's not even aware of.

Isn't that enough? Even if... it hurts, like this.

Carbuncle reaches up to rest a paw lightly against his chest, dark eyes looking straight into his, as if they could reach right to his soul. His phone pings.]

Remember your dad. He didn't like that memory of yours, did he?

[Noctis blinks.] Dad...

[Of course he hadn't liked the memory- finding out how he'd changed over the years, how cold and distant they'd become in that moment, unable to share how they truly felt. What father would want to know his son carried such miserable thoughts the last time they'd ever speak to one another?

"By the Astrals," he'd said when it was over, "What did I do?"

He'd been... horrified. By his own behaviour. He'd apologized, as if he did something wrong. But he hadn't, it was normal, he was doing his job as king and Noctis was just being a brat who wanted more than-

-ah. He takes a sharp breath in.]