"No man is a mountain, love. If he were, the mountains wouldn't be made stronger." He doesn't move through it, just holds Hawke close and pets his hair with every scrap of patience in him. He could always find more- for the people that were his. He kisses Wolfe's shoulder where Chris' face is pressed near.
"You're not an example. You're not some pinnacle of one thing or another, you're certainly not meant to stand alone. Anyone who's said any of that to you, kindness or no, has done you more harm than good. You're Adalwolfe Hawke, you're a mage with charisma and charm and a mind clever as a tack and the creative reasoning of a leader...but the bowed spine of one too. Especially one forced into it. You're brilliant and those who love you do so deeply and loyally...but You've held yourself up on a rotted pedestal of expectations."
He pulls back a fraction, only enough to try and look at Wolfe, even if his gaze isn't met. "I'm holding you up because you need it, not because you can't do it. I carry your burdens because I choose to pick them up, not because they've been tossed on me, but you are no burden to me. If you were, I'd not be here. Repeat that to me. Tell me you know I'm here because I want to be."
It served two-fold, the forced practice of saying a thing to make it feel true, even if not right now...and to take Hawke's choice. He needed that right now, as much as Chris could without it being too suffocating.
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"You're not an example. You're not some pinnacle of one thing or another, you're certainly not meant to stand alone. Anyone who's said any of that to you, kindness or no, has done you more harm than good. You're Adalwolfe Hawke, you're a mage with charisma and charm and a mind clever as a tack and the creative reasoning of a leader...but the bowed spine of one too. Especially one forced into it. You're brilliant and those who love you do so deeply and loyally...but You've held yourself up on a rotted pedestal of expectations."
He pulls back a fraction, only enough to try and look at Wolfe, even if his gaze isn't met. "I'm holding you up because you need it, not because you can't do it. I carry your burdens because I choose to pick them up, not because they've been tossed on me, but you are no burden to me. If you were, I'd not be here. Repeat that to me. Tell me you know I'm here because I want to be."
It served two-fold, the forced practice of saying a thing to make it feel true, even if not right now...and to take Hawke's choice. He needed that right now, as much as Chris could without it being too suffocating.