Ever since their abysmal first encounter, Ardyn has been respecting the boy's space. He filled his mind instead with thoughts of moonshine and other ways to keep himself busy instead of ruminating. It was only a matter of time though, he supposes, until they crossed paths again. It- They were inevitable. This Noctis might not realize it yet, but perhaps with time things would fall into place again.

He has all the time in the world to wait, after all.

Although, the man has to admit: he didn't think that Noctis could hurt him worse than he did already. Clearly, he was mistaken. Before he really recognizes who it is addressing him, he sees a strange blend of cloth and colors that are reminiscent of both the phantoms past that regularly haunt him. Blue was the color Somnus always preferred to adorn, regal and proud. White was the color of The Oracle though, soft and illuminating, just like she was. It causes something in the dark, rotted depths of his heart to stir and remind him briefly of being a man himself once upon a time.

It disgusts him. Not that he'll let it show on his face, of course, and other than needing a brief moment of processing the scene, Ardyn hardly misses a beat. "Yes, your Majesty?" he asks, before following up with: "Ah, I suppose there's no need for such formality. Old habits and all that though, you know."