[ Her fingers tighten around her cup as he speaks, aware now that the similarities between Noct and herself run deeper than she thought. ]

...During the time of shared nightmares I saw my soul's original face. Had I been human we would have been all but identical.

I had already known he thought of her whenever he looked at my soul. I hadn't known he saw her every time he looked upon my face.

[ She stares at her hot chocolate, mind elsewhere. ]

...Even the name I gave myself turned out to have belonged to her. That woman he loved and loathed for twelve thousand years.

It leaves me wondering what is me. Is this my face? My name? Are my feelings my own, or are they hers?

Were the feelings Hades nurtured for me because of her, or because of me?

[ Era pulls her cup closer to herself, though doesn't yet drink of it. ]

...I feel guilty for doubting his affection. I try to think instead of all that he did to allay what doubts festered, and it helps.