[ It's so, so soft, and yet it catches and rasps in Xichen's throat.
He closes his eyes, then focuses them down on the table in front of him. ]
I do, too, you know. [ Slowly, he looks back up. ] There are choices that I would not let you make again. There are things that I would do anything to stop you from doing.
But even the you who had made those choices, who had done those things. Even knowing that he would not change, even angry as I was over everything.
Even knowing that he had never allowed me to see the real you.
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[ It's so, so soft, and yet it catches and rasps in Xichen's throat.
He closes his eyes, then focuses them down on the table in front of him. ]
I do, too, you know. [ Slowly, he looks back up. ] There are choices that I would not let you make again. There are things that I would do anything to stop you from doing.
But even the you who had made those choices, who had done those things. Even knowing that he would not change, even angry as I was over everything.
Even knowing that he had never allowed me to see the real you.
I could not hate him. I would not reject him.
Nor you.