"Stop it for what?" Gladio raises his eyebrows. "I wasn't saying you could handle it, so you shouldn't need my support. The whole point of me not being mad at you for needing it is that I get it. That just about anyone would need support here. The one time I'm telling you that you don't have to just tough this out, and you're trying to anyway?" He ruffles Noct's hair. "Don't get me wrong, I'm proud you're trying. But...I'll tell you when you need to push yourself. You know I will. And now's not one of those times. If you don't wanna stop...this just yet," he says, mimicking Noct's intonation so Noct knows exactly what he means by 'this', "then you don't have to."

Right now...there's so damn much to shield Noct from. It almost doesn't feel right to have Noct not let him.