But the thing is, he did not choose to leave his family behind. He is merely coping with their absence. And again, Xichen has seen more than of his peers whose parents...

Well, whose parents are better off being far away. So he can't blame Shuangyu. And he's not blaming or judging him, for all that he is aware it might not necessarily be considered the right thing.

At all.

But then his thoughts get drawn back to the here and now, and he is held closer once more, and it. (It feels so good.) (It's so much.) (Not too much.)

He only gives the tiniest head-shake.

"I do not wish him to suddenly want something he doesn't want. It is not for me that I wish at all. Any of it. Everyone deserves to be a human and have trust and respect, for their own sake. That's...

"That's all."

He's suddenly exhausted, drained for words. He knows any of this, all of this, sounds arrogant. But it's the best he can put into words.

After a few long moments, he adds, too, "thank you. All of those would be good."