Question about giving breath

I just read the explanation given to Vivenna about how giving individual Breaths is impossible - it’s all or nothing. However, wouldn’t you be able to Awaken something with a few Breaths, then give the rest away so you’re not left as a Drab once you take back the Breaths you used to awaken something?

It’s shown in the prologue that you can take back Breaths even as a Drab