Finally being able to force himself into being calmer has a centering effect on Hawke. He has a way forward, he has his people to take care of here, he knows what to do and what they need.
Chris struggles to find something for Amelia to do and Hawke judges that perhaps that shouldn't be his priority. It's clear to him that Chris just wants her here, a comforting protective presence, but not necessarily needing to be more useful than that when that's what's sorely needed all on its own. Hawke glances after her as she returns from her quest with the trophy of clothes and retreats back into the kitchen. By the time she's back, he's nearly through. He should probably not be pushing himself quite so hard to heal so quickly but it's not in him to leave Chris like this for longer than he has to.
Ducking his head to the side, Hawke leans in and speaks softly to Chris, not carrying his voice past the two of them at the couch. "I've got something for her to do, don't worry about it overmuch. Do you think you can roll over now?"
He waits for the answer, but once he's got it he leans back to address Amelia in turn. "Could you bring another potion, a rag, and the bowl of warm water? I think there's room enough on the coffee table."
The look he gives her out of Chris' sight says there's one more thing he'd like her to do and he gives a little motion towards the end of the couch where Chris' head is, imagining that she can slip onto the cushions behind him, a warmth at his back. It's what they both need, he's surmised, that softness of contact and solidness of presence. It's what he needs too, frankly, but he still has other work to do.
Switching to prose because I keep doing this on my phone and messing up coding
Chris struggles to find something for Amelia to do and Hawke judges that perhaps that shouldn't be his priority. It's clear to him that Chris just wants her here, a comforting protective presence, but not necessarily needing to be more useful than that when that's what's sorely needed all on its own. Hawke glances after her as she returns from her quest with the trophy of clothes and retreats back into the kitchen. By the time she's back, he's nearly through. He should probably not be pushing himself quite so hard to heal so quickly but it's not in him to leave Chris like this for longer than he has to.
Ducking his head to the side, Hawke leans in and speaks softly to Chris, not carrying his voice past the two of them at the couch. "I've got something for her to do, don't worry about it overmuch. Do you think you can roll over now?"
He waits for the answer, but once he's got it he leans back to address Amelia in turn. "Could you bring another potion, a rag, and the bowl of warm water? I think there's room enough on the coffee table."
The look he gives her out of Chris' sight says there's one more thing he'd like her to do and he gives a little motion towards the end of the couch where Chris' head is, imagining that she can slip onto the cushions behind him, a warmth at his back. It's what they both need, he's surmised, that softness of contact and solidness of presence. It's what he needs too, frankly, but he still has other work to do.