I'm not sure about the "wants them to be good to and for each other" at this stage? I think it's more that ZYL wants to be free to sacrifice himself, but it pushes all his childhood-trauma buttons if anyone else does the same, and especially someone as important to him as Shen Wei.
No, at this point I think he's definitely there - he just told his father about SW being genuinely good to him, and you can't tell me he doesn't want to reciprocate. Also, IMO at this point in time he's not thinking in terms of self-sacrifice - he still thinks they can win this. I don't think he thinks the situation will get so dire as to require a sacrifice until after he gets slapped in the face with the cost to SW; before that, he thinks the Sundial exchange was an unqualified win, and why shouldn't they have another?
I was talking about reassurance in the "will be fine" sense
Oh, right! Though like I said, SW is (IMO very deliberately) not saying he'll be fine, only that he can handle it.
But I agree that it matters IMMENSELY that SW is strong enough, and that what he ultimately does with the white energy is his choice, because he can not only handle it, but make it into an opportunity he wouldn't otherwise have had. Which I love! A lot! And actually, you know, that part I find immensely reassuring myself, so I guess I'm talking myself round to your POV now, LOL.
And Shen Wei's ghastly smile is even rejecting that much -- he doesn't want sympathy or comfort.
Yes, very good point! ZYL tries to offer sympathy with "it must hurt a lot", but SW essentially waves that off with that smile and the "used to it" line.
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No, at this point I think he's definitely there - he just told his father about SW being genuinely good to him, and you can't tell me he doesn't want to reciprocate. Also, IMO at this point in time he's not thinking in terms of self-sacrifice - he still thinks they can win this. I don't think he thinks the situation will get so dire as to require a sacrifice until after he gets slapped in the face with the cost to SW; before that, he thinks the Sundial exchange was an unqualified win, and why shouldn't they have another?
I was talking about reassurance in the "will be fine" sense
Oh, right! Though like I said, SW is (IMO very deliberately) not saying he'll be fine, only that he can handle it.
But I agree that it matters IMMENSELY that SW is strong enough, and that what he ultimately does with the white energy is his choice, because he can not only handle it, but make it into an opportunity he wouldn't otherwise have had. Which I love! A lot! And actually, you know, that part I find immensely reassuring myself, so I guess I'm talking myself round to your POV now, LOL.
And Shen Wei's ghastly smile is even rejecting that much -- he doesn't want sympathy or comfort.
Yes, very good point! ZYL tries to offer sympathy with "it must hurt a lot", but SW essentially waves that off with that smile and the "used to it" line.