Chris pulls away and Hawke nearly grabs for him, nearly clings like a child. As it is he lets out a very undignified bereft noise that's small and strangled in his throat. He can't do this, he's fit to burst, but he can't pile more onto Chris either. Not now, not with... Everything. He doesn't feel the same way so this is only going to hurt but maybe to get past it they should talk. Or maybe not now, but...

"I meant now." Hawke sits up too, putting his feet flat on the floor and swallowing his guilt and his terror and everything else down in order to speak plainly. "I meant... We shouldn't talk about it now, not with- with everything. You're dealing with enough that you don't need to add my fool heart to it. It can wait. It's not important right now."

He forces himself to look over at Chris, giving a wan smile. He can wait to have the hard conversation. He can wait indefinitely if it means he can still love as strongly and as freely for a little while longer, until Chris inevitably tells him that's not what he wants. He'll be gentle as he can be, Hawke's sure, but still no.