[He really doesn't even have words in response, not even the beginnings of a reaction this time to hear it said plain as birthday.]
[How can it be that after everything, he... did he really have it all along?]
[So he's silent instead, only giving the briefest pause of stilling and acknowledging the answer, before he starts to walk the rest of the way to the monster. Even as he walks he doesn't know if he'll actually reach out for it.]