[He's reluctant to answer, but eventually, his head jerks in a nod and immediately hangs down again, ashamed.]

But that's bad, right? 'Cause then it's like... like I'm hanging out with you to make me feel good, but it's not that, I'm here because I like you. Y-you know? You could have ten million gil and own the city and I'd still like you, because you're... you're you.

[Maybe Ignis was right, maybe Noct needs him and that's what drew Prompto to his side in the first place, knowing he could do something for someone, it didn't matter who. But that's not why he stayed. That's not why he's still with Ignis and Gladio, they never needed him, they just... like him. And he likes them all so much.

Here, now: he likes her so much.

Blinking quickly, he takes a hot bowl of potato chowder out of the Armiger. Swallowing, he sets it on the table and steps back, holding his elbows, because he doesn't have a cloak to hug.]

I don't want you to feel like...

[Like he felt his whole life, before a girl captive in another country wrote him a letter. Dear Prompto, she'd said, and it was almost like the first time he'd ever heard his name.]

Like I don't care who you are.