[ It's for the best that she lets his reaction slide, that she doesn't dig into it, that he can just...sweep it under the rug along with so many other moments in his life so he can pretend like they don't pile up on him. It's funny — for how much progress he's made, for how much effort he's put into becoming his own person and feeling wanted, worthwhile, it can all come crashing down so quickly with just one throwaway comment.

He's overreacting. He knows he is. Swallowing, he corrals his thoughts, doing his darnedest to focus on the task at hand, even if his efforts aren't wholly successful. ]

U-um, yeah. Good...good idea. [ He's evidently still distracted, nodding without putting much thought into what he's agreeing to, though compared to the way his mind swims now, cutting open another stinky fish seems tame by comparison. ] I-I can handle it. Hang on.

[ Not unlike a kicked puppy, Prompto turns in the shallow water, kneeling down and feeling around until he finds another one of the dead fish. This one appears just the same as the last on the outside, and he turns back to her with it, sucking in a breath as he attempts to inflate some levity back into himself. ]

H-here we are! One more dead, stinky fish, just like you ordered.

[ But there's still something of his usual gusto missing. ]