Despite the fact that it's comprised ninety percent of his life Hawke actually ...hates conflict, at least when it's interpersonal, so that would make a pretty compelling argument, or at least give him pause, except that as thin a tightrope as his parents might have stretched, a commitment had been made, and they saw it through. Because the previously unaccounted for ten percent is taken up by humorous irony, that's a significant part of why it's so hard to get Hawke to commit in the first place--when it happens, he means it.

In Thedas a big party would have been less a decision than an inevitability, but here the lack of one is such an easy concession to make Hawke doesn't even think about it, conceding with an easy shrug, smile taking over his entire face. "I suppose I can live with disappointing all five people I'd invite anyway."

Deadpan. He finds one of Anders' hands, skims his ring finger with a thumb. It's an easy guess what he's imagining. "Should I surprise you? Or do you want to see what we can scrounge up together." A quick, soft twist of his always mobile mouth. "Maybe you've had enough surprises for one day."