[Newt's frown deepens as Xichen talks. Usually he's pretty good at just putting his foot in his genius idiot mouth, but he has his moments; hearing that he had stood in Welford's shoes gives him a grim enough picture to make theories on.]

Man, it's like asking someone if they prefer getting stabbed twenty times or twenty one times; pretty sure the difference doesn't leave much mercy. But that's not something you can control. That's just what it means to be a sentient being with emotions and memories.

[Welford was gonna be tormented. It was going to be bad, no matter what.

Newt's pretty sure of it.]

... I just don't want you blaming yourself for any of it.