Ah. [ The Doctor feels almost happily drowsy with the warmth of the talisman over him, not that he's all too familiar with what it is or how it's done (that is, what sort of magic powers it) but Xichen doesn't look bothered at all by the application so he doesn't feel the need to worry either.

What does worry him is the heaviness set on the other man's shoulders. He can understand burdens like them, having been put in situations like the one that Xichen's been put in, though mostly by his own doing. In a way, the Doctor thrives off of situations like these ones. Maybe it's an ego thing (all right, it is most definitely an ego thing, at least in part), but it also comes from a very real place of wanting to help and wanting to bear that responsibility so no one else has to. But it can be a heavy thing to carry.

The Doctor's words are solemn, his voice soft. ]

Well — time does what she likes, always has. There really was no right time to let us all know what happened, and perhaps there was nothing to prevent the old man from running off either. Sometimes it feels easier to run.

[ Spoken like a man with some amount of experience in just that. ]

But you relate to him, don't you? And that counts for something.