Of course, he picks up on the disgust. He hopes for it to give him some strange sense of satisfaction. To be looked at with such contempt delights him in all ways strange that he stopped trying to make sense of long ago. Especially by Noctis, but that's perhaps due to the striking similarity - especially now - to his dear brother Somnus.

The moment and his grotesque enjoyment of it ends though thanks to that simple click of his tongue and single of word. Whatever. "Whatever?" Ardyn echoes, venom dripping off each letter. It's such a simple thing, but so dismissive that it's downright infuriating. It doesn't work to shield Noctis like he hopes though. "I am offering you whatever you want, but that still isn't good enough!"

Despite the fire behind Ardyn's eyes suddenly as he roars in frustration, it's frost that he ends up spitting. This close, it's an impossible spray of biting ice to avoid entirely. His claws drag in kind across bark towards Noctis - almost unbidden, and he will regret the strike later - with a snarl. In the moment though, he can't stop himself from lashing out. Angry, yes, but once that settles there's clear hurt in his expression too. Both at what he's said and what he realizes he's done.

Ruining everything, like always.