"I don't know who you were before, darling, but I very much like the you of now." Hawke pats him affectionately on the hand, because she does still keep people's boundaries in mind. She's the type to hang all over her friends, but it takes time before that level of comfort. "But I do know that everyone telling you that won't help much if you still feel like that on the inside." She has many demons of her own, some of which he had context for now from their discussion. Self-loathing is not a new concept to her.

"It sounds like you might need some space to figure out your own struggles right now. It's difficult to love someone else if you don't like yourself. It was one of the problems Anders and I had, outside of the whole, you know, terrorism." Hawke very, very rarely speaks this directly about her past relationship, as in never, but she's giving him a little out of respect. "He had a good deal of self-loathing to contend with, enough he wallowed it and that hate turned outward." Hawke waves a hand. "Not that I think you'd do that, of course, but I'm saying, you have to find a way to be at peace with who you are now."