He really should have. Though to Prompto's credit, he took over an hour to tell him how he found out himself. It should have been him. He should have told Ignis and Prompto, and yet Pryna, sweet Pryna who likely hated having to show Ignis that in the first place had...

Noctis pockets Carbuncle's totem before he wraps his arms around Ignis again, even tighter this time. "Yes," he answers, just as quietly, fingers grasping the back of Ignis' shirt in a vice. "It's the last thing I remember: The Draconian telling me how to stop Ardyn then letting me fall deeper into the heart of the Crystal."

If he's being honest, he's surprised the recollection of that argument didn't come into play. Which makes this even harder. "You said," he begins, "that it was because we lost so much. Too much. I wouldn't hear it." He doesn't go into how he broke down into tears after he pushed him away having all but yelled at him, the guilt he feels for having done so when his closest friend was just opening up to him. He didn't even implore farther as to why.

It's one of his few regrets. Along with not having been there when... Luna needed him most.

His eyes start to sting again and he buries his face into Ignis' chest. "Wish I knew," is all he can say before his voice cracks as well. "I keep asking myself that."

Every time Prompto looks at him and, for a brief second, it looks like tears are going to form again. How Clarus tried to get him to take off the Ring their first day here. How his father always looked so sad whenever they both neared the throne room.

Why can't he protect the ones he loves from the heartache caused by what he's been instructed to do?